Effects of Dry Needling When Applied to the Infraspinatus Muscle in People With Chronic Shoulder Pain

Up to 77% of patients with chronic shoulder pain have a trigger point (TrP) in the infraspinatus muscle. These TrPs can lead to pain, limitation of activities and reduced quality of life. Dry needling (DN) is gaining popularity as a treatment for TrPs in physiotherapy. However, its clinical effects remain poorly understood mechanistically and its neurophysiological effects little studied. The primary objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of a larger scale study. The secondary objective of this study is to to explore the immediate neurophysiological, biomechanical and clinical effects of DN and sham needling when applied to TrP of the infraspinatus muscle in people with chronic non-traumatic shoulder pain.