Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of Gluteus Nerves to Improve Hip Strength and Power

Summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to evaluate whether the ultrasound-guided percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation through a needle results in greater gains in strength and power compared to the administration of current through surface electrodes in patients undergoing strength and power assessments. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does percutaneous stimulation of the superior and inferior gluteal nerves using ultrasound-guided needles enhance strength and power more effectively than transcutaneous stimulation through electrodes?

Is the effectiveness of current delivery significantly different between percutaneous and transcutaneous methods when assessed with a linear encoder in a standarized hip extension exercise?

Participants will:

Be randomized into two groups: one undergoing ultrasound-guided percutaneous stimulation of the gluteal nerves (experimental group) and the other undergoing transcutaneous stimulation through electrodes (control group).

The same stimulation protocol at 10 Hz frequency with the maximum muscle contraction evoked without pain will be performed in both groups. Then, the participants will undergo strength and power assessment before and after therapy administration using a linear encoder in a hip extension exercise.

Researchers will compare the experimental group to the control group to see if the method of current delivery (percutaneous vs. transcutaneous) has a significant impact on the gains in strength and power. This comparison is based on the hypothesis that percutaneous delivery of current, guided by ultrasound, is more effective than simply positioning a surface electrode for transcutaneous stimulation. The evaluation of strength and power will be performed through a linear encoder that measures peak strength and concentric power in each repetition, conducted by a blind operator unaware of the patients' group allocations.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain
• Chronic Knee Pain

Interventions

OTHER

TENS

The TENS group is subjected to transcutaneous current. Two surface electrodes are inserted at the level of the superior gluteal and inferior gluteal nerve tract. A protocol of 10 stimulations x 10 seconds of stimulations x 10 times is performed with a 10 second rest between each repetition. A maximum contraction evoked without pain is sought.

OTHER

Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

In the pPNS group, the superior gluteal nerve and inferior gluteal nerve are stimulated percutaneously. The nerves are localized at an ultrasound-guided level and with respect to the vascular-nervous package two acupuncture needles are inserted, one for each nerve. The stimulation is the same as the TENS group: 10 stimulations x 10 times x 10 seconds, evoking the maximum contraction without pain.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Javier Picañol Párraga, PhD(c) · Hospital Clinic

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-09-01

Primary Completion

2024-04-30

Completion

2024-06-30

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations