Dry needling for the treatment of muscle spasticity in a patient with multiple sclerosis: a case report

ABSTRACT

Background

Spasticity is a common cause of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), which can negatively affect the patient’s walking and balance.

Objective

To evaluate the immediate effect of dry needling (DN) on spasticity and mobility in a female with MS.

Case Description

In this case, a 38-year-old female with a 4-year history of MS was treated. The hamstring muscles (biceps femoris and semitendinosus) were needled for 1 minute in a single session. The main outcome measures were the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) to evaluate spasticity, the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW) for the assessment of mobility and leg function performance, and stiffness as a biomechanical index of spasticity measured by a dynamometer. The assessments were done before and immediately after DN.

Outcomes

The MMAS scores decreased in the hamstrings (1 to 0) and quadriceps (2 to 1). The mobility improved as the time for T25FW decreased from 16.30 to 9.29 seconds. The stiffness of hamstring decreased after treatment (0.451 to 0.312).

Conclusion

One session of DN for the hamstring muscle decreased spasticity and improved mobility in this patient with MS. Further studies are suggested.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple sclerosis
• dry needling
• spasticity
• muscle stiffness
• walking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).