Cost-effectiveness analysis of adding dry needling to physical therapy for chronic neck pain in upper trapezius myofascial pain syndrome

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jul;47:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.03.003. Epub 2026 Mar 9. ABSTRACT This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of adding dry needling (DN) to conventional physical therapy for chronic neck pain using a Markov model. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and treatment costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated. Combination […]

Comparative effects of dry needling on spasticity, balance, and cortical excitability in stroke and multiple sclerosis patients: A pilot study

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jul;47:419-428. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.04.019. Epub 2026 Apr 29. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Spasticity is a common complication of neurological disorders such as stroke and multiple sclerosis (MS). Dry needling (DN) has been used for spasticity management, despite known differences in the underlying pathophysiology of spasticity across neurological conditions. However, evidence regarding whether these […]

Feasibility of assessing implicit motor imagery after dry needling in bilateral patellofemoral pain with kinesiophobia

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jul;47:354-360. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.04.021. Epub 2026 Apr 27. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral pain (PFP) has been associated with altered central processing and implicit motor imagery, as assessed using left-right judgment tasks. However, the feasibility of assessing implicit motor imagery performance in individuals with bilateral PFP and high kinesiophobia, particularly with a dry […]

Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of discogenic low back pain: a phenotype-driven precision framework for surgical and interventional decision-making

Front Surg. 2026 May 25;13:1787353. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2026.1787353. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Discogenic Low Back Pain (DLBP) remains a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its heterogeneous pathophysiology and overlapping clinical presentation. Current management frequently relies on empirical stepwise strategies with limited mechanistic specificity. The distinct mechanisms of disc degeneration have drawn significant attention, highlighting […]

Investigating attitudes and practices of dry needling among physical therapists in the Kingdom of Bahrain

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jul;47:459-468. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.04.007. Epub 2026 Apr 24. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Dry needling (DN) is a physical therapy technique that is used to help treat myofascial trigger points. Although it is globally and widely used, there is a lack of information on the use of DN among physical therapists in the Kingdom […]