Testing Education: dry needling theory with Education: Cadaver anatomy review against a placebo for dry needling
Official title: Physiotherapy Dry Needling Accuracy
Reducing Dangerous Placement of Needles by Physiotherapists Who Use Dry Needling (DN) by Introducing Cadaver Anatomy Review: a Randomized Control Trial Assessing Needle Placement Accuracy and Confidence
- 2 groups
- One site, in Edmonton
- Recruiting
Interventions
- Other intervention
Education: dry needling theory
Education relating to the theory of dry needling by physiotherapists
- Other intervention
Education: Cadaver anatomy review
Educational instruction regarding the safe implementation of dry needling by physiotherapists using cadaver material.
Canadian Sites (1)
1 of 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Eligibility Criteria
See who this study is looking for4 criteria
The trial’s own eligibility text, word for word from the registry. Only the trial site can say who takes part.
Inclusion
- +Physiotherapy volunteers: Physiotherapists who are in good standing with their regulatory College and licensed to practice dry needling.
- +Needling volunteers (those who will be needled) must be able to provide informed consentInformed consentThe process of being told what taking part involves, then choosing freely.Read more →
Exclusion
- −Physiotherapy volunteers: Physiotherapists who are not in good standing with their regulatory College or not licensed to practice dry needling or have taken a cadaver review class post-graduation from their entry to practice physiotherapy program.
- −Needling volunteers (those who will be needled): Anyone who posses any contraindications to dry needling or not within normal BMI measurements
In plain language
Assembled directly from this trial’s registry record. Every sentence traces to a field below — nothing here is generated or interpreted.
What this study is
This study is testing a way to prevent a condition from developing.
This study is not organised into the usual phase numbers — that is common for device, behavioural, and diagnostic research.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.primaryPurpose
- designModule.phases
Who receives what
There are 2 groups in this study.
Group A, the shamSham procedureA procedure made to feel like the real one, without the active step.Read more → group, receives Education: dry needling theory.
Registry label: A: Education: dry needling theory
Group B receives Education: Cadaver anatomy review.
Registry label: B: Education: Cadaver anatomy review
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].label
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
How the study is run
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
You, the study team, and the people analysing the results would all be kept unaware of which group you are in until the study ends.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
Is there a placebo?
One group receives a sham procedureSham procedureA procedure made to feel like the real one, without the active step.Read more → — one made to feel like the real thing but without the active step.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
Who the study is looking for
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
The study is open to people of any sex.
The study accepts healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more → as well as people with the condition.
These are the criteria the study lists. Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How big and how long
The study aims to enrol about 60 people.
The study is currently expected to finish around March 2027.
The main measurement is taken over: This measurement will be taken initially when the subject enrolls in the study (BaselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more →) and again within two weeks of having received the intervention (either controlControl groupThe group a new treatment is measured against.Read more → or experimental) (Follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more →).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
What the study measures
Dry needling accuracy — measured over This measurement will be taken initially when the subject enrolls in the study (BaselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more →) and again within two weeks of having received the intervention (either controlControl groupThe group a new treatment is measured against.Read more → or experimental) (Follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more →).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].measure
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
Source: NCT06845969 on ClinicalTrials.gov. The full registry text is further down this page — this summary never replaces it.
Not medical advice. What do these terms mean?
What is being tested — in plain terms
About Education: dry needling theoryOther
Education relating to the theory of dry needling by physiotherapists
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a other is here: An intervention the registry did not place in another category.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
About Education: Cadaver anatomy reviewOther
Educational instruction regarding the safe implementation of dry needling by physiotherapists using cadaver material.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a other is here: An intervention the registry did not place in another category.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
Common questions
Answered from this trial’s registry record. Where the record doesn’t say, these answers say so rather than filling the gap.
Am I eligible for this trial?
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part. Concord cannot make that determination, and neither can any tool that has not examined you.
What the study lists: a minimum age of 18 years.
The full inclusionInclusion criteriaThe things you must have or be for a study to consider you.Read more → and exclusion criteriaExclusion criteriaThe things that would prevent someone from taking part.Read more → are published on this page, exactly as the study team wrote them.
The useful next step is to bring this trial to your doctor. Answering a few questions first gives them something concrete to review.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.eligibilityCriteria
Is there a placebo?
This study includes a shamSham procedureA procedure made to feel like the real one, without the active step.Read more → comparison — a procedure made to feel like the real one, without the active step.
From the trial registry
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
Would I know which treatment I am getting?
You, the study team, and the people analysing the results would all be kept unaware of which group you are in until the study ends.
Which group you would be placed in is decided by chance, like a coin flip — not by you and not by your doctor.
From the trial registry
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
Who can join?
The study lists a minimum age of 18 years, with no upper limit given.
It is open to people of any sex.
It accepts healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more → as well as people with the condition.
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can confirm whether a particular person can take part.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How long would this take?
The study's main measurement is taken over: This measurement will be taken initially when the subject enrolls in the study (BaselineBaselineYour starting measurements, taken before treatment begins.Read more →) and again within two weeks of having received the intervention (either controlControl groupThe group a new treatment is measured against.Read more → or experimental) (Follow-upFollow-upContinued check-ins after the treatment part is finished.Read more →)..
The study as a whole is currently expected to finish around 2027-03-31.
How long any one person takes part can differ from the study length. The study team can tell you what the schedule looks like in practice.
From the trial registry
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
How many people are taking part?
The study aims to enrol about 60 people.
From the trial registry
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
Where is this happening?
This study lists one location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Sites can open and close during a study, so confirm with the team before travelling.
From the trial registry
- trial_locations
About This Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the addition of cadaver review improves: * the accuracy of physiotherapists who practice dry needling. * the perceived safety of dry needling by physiotherapists. Researchers will compare the effects of an anatomy review using cadaver material to that of an educational intervention not related to anatomy to see if the anatomy review improves the needling accuracy and safety of physiotherapist who practice dry needling as compared to the control intervention of education not related to anatomy. Participants will: * Needle three muscles related to safety and/or accuracy using ultrasound imaging to gather accuracy and safety measurements. * Take an initial knowledge exam capturing their knowledge on needling safety. * Be randomized into a control group or intervention group. * The control group will receive an online educational session not related to anatomy. * The intervention group will receive a cadaver anatomy review class focused on high-risk area. * Re-take a knowledge exam after their course (either cadaver lab or on-line education) to capture any change. * Needle the same three muscles again using ultrasound to capture accuracy and safety measurements. If reviewing anatomy using cadaver materials improve physiotherapists needling accuracy and safety, then this educational intervention could be recommended to be added to dry needling course instruction.
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See if this trial could fit youThis page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical trial eligibility can only be determined by the trial site after proper screening. Trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the most current status. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about clinical trial participation.