Effects of eccentric exercises with and without dry needling approaches at the patients with chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy

Abstract

Background and objectives

Evidences showed that eccentric exercises (EE) could be effective on reducing inflammation. Dry needling (DN) can be applied to increase blood flow. This study aimed to evaluate a combined treatment protocol (eccentric exercises and dry needling) to care chronic tendinopathy in rotator cuff tendons.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients with shoulder pain were recruited for this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of treatment including; EE and EE + DN. All patients had eight sessions of EE and one group of patients were under DN as well. They were evaluated four times (before, after third session, after completion and after 72 h of treatment). The patients were evaluated based on their level of pain and function.

Results

There was a significant improvement after treatment for all variables in both groups (P < 0.001). This improvement level would be constant up to 72 h in the patients under combined treatment (P > 0.05), while the improvement level was not similar for all outcome measures in the patients under treatment of EE only. These patients showed improvement just in TFAST scale up to 72 h (P > 0.08).

Conclusion

The results showed that EE + DN could be more effective compare than EE alone on treatment of the patients with chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy.