Completed

Dry Needling for Spasticity in Children with Cerebral Palsy

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What is being tested

Traditional Physical Therapy

+ Dry Needling

Other
Who is being recruted

Brain Damage, Chronic+10

+ Brain Diseases

+ Central Nervous System Diseases

Over 6 Years
+5 Eligibility Criteria
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Interventional
Study Start: February 2025
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorBatterjee Medical College
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: February 20, 2025

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

This study is focused on exploring how dry needling, a technique used to relax tight muscles, can help children with cerebral palsy who experience spasticity. Spasticity in this context refers to the stiffness and involuntary muscle contractions that can limit movement and balance. By targeting the overactive muscle fibers, dry needling might reduce muscle tightness and improve the ability to move and perform daily activities. This research is important because it could offer a new way to help children with cerebral palsy improve their muscle function and overall quality of life. Participants in the study will receive dry needling treatment aimed at specific muscle groups that are affected by spasticity. The effectiveness of this intervention will be measured using several tests. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) will be used to check changes in muscle tone, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test will evaluate mobility and balance, and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) will assess overall movement skills. By comparing results before and after the treatment, the study aims to find out if dry needling can provide real benefits, potentially making it a useful addition to current rehabilitation strategies for children with neuromuscular disorders.

Official TitleEffects of Dry Needling on Spasticity and Functional Ability in Children With Cerebral Palsy
NCT06856473
Principal SponsorBatterjee Medical College
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

48 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.



Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Over 6 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers not allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Brain Damage, ChronicBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesCerebral PalsyMuscle HypertoniaMuscle SpasticityMuscular DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesNervous System DiseasesNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsNeuromuscular Manifestations

Criteria

3 inclusion criteria required to participate
Hypertonia score 2 according to MAS

Able to understand and follow instructions

Able to stand and walk independantly

2 exclusion criteria prevent from participating
Participants with neurological conditions that involve significant cognitive deficits or severe uncontrolled epilepsy

Participants who have undergone surgical procedures within the last 3 months

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

2 intervention groups are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups

Group I

Experimental
traditional physical therapy program based on neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) (3 sessions per week, each lasting 1 hour), in addition to dry needling for the spastic calf and adductor muscles.

Group II

Active Comparator
Traditional physical therapy program based on neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) (3 sessions per week, each lasting 1 hour).

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Suspended

BMC

Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaOpen BMC in Google Maps
CompletedOne Study Center