Therapist language versus dry needling effects on hip strength and time to stabilisation

INTERVENTION: All participants will randomly be assigned one of four treatment arms, via random number sequence, without knowing which arm they have been assigned (single‐blinded). The four treatment arms are as follows: 1. Dry needling with positive message 2. Dry needling with neutral message 3. Placebo dry needling with positive message 4. Placebo dry needling with neutral message Participants will receive a single treatment to between 2 and 5 trigger points with a pre‐scripted message given to the participant immediately before the administration of the intervention. Hip strength and single leg stability will be measured immediately prior to and immediately post intervention as well as 24, 48 hours post intervention. CONDITION: Latent myofascial trigger points in gluteus medius muscle ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; Measured immediately before the intervention, immediately after and 24 and 48 hours after the intervention:; 1. Hip abduction strength (maximal voluntary isometric contraction), measured using a portable strain gauge (hand‐held dynamometer); 2. Hip internal rotation strength (maximal voluntary isometric contraction), measured using a portable strain gauge (hand‐held dynamometer); 3. Hip external rotation strength (maximal voluntary isometric contraction), measured using a portable strain gauge (hand‐held dynamometer); SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Single‐leg vertical time to stabilisation following a 20 cm drop landing onto a forceplate, measured immediately before the intervention, immediately after and 24 and 48 hours after the intervention; 2. Objective feedback will be attained from all participants at the end of each testing session in the form of a web‐based (Microsoft forms) questionnaire focusing on sensations felt, perceived effect of treatment on performance in strength tests, single‐leg time to stabilisation, perceived effect of treatment on performance if a hypothetical competition was imminent and if any effect was felt on physical activity between follow‐up days; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Third‐level students of IT Carlow 2. Aged between 18 and 40 years of age 3. At the time of testing, are participating in a multi‐directional jump‐sport including but not limited to; gaelic football, hurling, soccer, volleyball, basketball, handball more than 3 hours per week 4. Have 2 or more Latent Trigger Points present in the gluteus medius muscle of their "self‐selected preferred jumping leg" ‐ identified by physical palpation examination conducted by the researcher