Immediate Effect of Dry Needling on Calf Muscles Pain Pressure Threshold,Sprint Speed and Functional Performance in Amateur Football Player

A single-session myofascial trigger point dry needling treatment will be administered to identified trigger points in the gastrocnemius and/or soleus muscles using sterile disposable filiform needles. The objective is to mechanically disrupt the dysfunctional motor end plate, elicit local twitch responses, reduce nociceptive activity, and restore muscle function. The intervention is delivered under aseptic conditions by a trained physiotherapist following standard safety guidelines. Post-procedure monitoring will be conducted for minor adverse effects such as soreness or bleeding.

A simulated needling procedure designed to act as a placebo comparator will be applied without skin penetration. The technique reproduces the visual, tactile, and contextual components of dry needling to maintain participant blinding while avoiding physiological stimulation of the muscle. This allows isolation of the true therapeutic effect of dry needling from psychological or expectancy-related responses.