The effect of one dry needling session on pain, central pain processing, muscle co-contraction and gait characteristics in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Scand J Pain. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1515/sjpain-2021-0091. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: To assess the immediate and three days postintervention effect of one dry needling session compared to one sham needling session on pain, central pain processing, muscle co-contraction and spatiotemporal parameters during gait in knee osteoarthritis patients. METHODS: A double-blind randomized controlled […]

Acute and Short-Term Effects of Dry Needling in Patients with Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain and Hamstring Tightness: A Pilot Study

ScientificWorldJournal. 2021 Nov 20;2021:7259956. doi: 10.1155/2021/7259956. eCollection 2021. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is one of the common health issues. Hamstring tightness contributes to the development of LBP. This study aimed to investigate the acute and short-term effects of deep dry needling (DN) in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP and hamstring muscle […]

Treatment of thoracic spine pain and pseudovisceral symptoms with dry needling and manual therapy in a 78-year-old female: A case report

Physiother Theory Pract. 2021 Oct 10:1-9. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.1987603. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT DESIGN: Case Report. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Thoracic spine pain and movement dysfunction is a relatively common problem in the general population but has received little attention in research. Dry needling is frequently utilized by physical therapists and has been shown to reduce […]

A qualitative study on a novel peer collaboration care programme during the first COVID-19 outbreak: A SWOT analysis

Nurs Open. 2021 Nov 12. doi: 10.1002/nop2.1128. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT The pandemic has forced nursing teams to incorporate new programmes that modify the organization of care and the use of material resources. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to describe the perspectives of the nursing team about the strengths/opportunities and weaknesses/threats of […]

Immediate Effect of Dry Needling at Myofascial Trigger Point on Hand Spasticity in Chronic Post-stroke Patients: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Front Neurol. 2021 Oct 29;12:745618. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.745618. eCollection 2021. ABSTRACT Background: Hand spasticity after stroke influences the rehabilitation of hand function. Immediate and effective relief of spasticity potentially creates conditions for later rehabilitation training, which has far-reaching significance in the smooth transition of patients to the recovery period. Objective: To evaluate the immediate effect of […]

Short-term effectiveness of high- and low-intensity percutaneous electrolysis in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A pilot study

World J Orthop. 2021 Oct 18;12(10):781-790. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v12.i10.781. eCollection 2021 Oct 18. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Unilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most frequently diagnosed knee condition in populations aged < 50 years old. Although the treatment of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) is a common and effective tool for reducing pain, previous studies showed no additional […]

Effects of dry needling on mechanical and contractile properties of the upper trapezius with latent myofascial trigger points: A randomized controlled trial

Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2021 Sep 3;56:102456. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2021.102456. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Latent trigger point (LTrP) can cause motor dysfunction and disturb normal patterns of motor recruitment. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of DN in the upper trapezius (UT) LTrP on pain and the mechanical and contractile properties of the muscle. DESIGN: A […]

Effects of Dry Needling of Latent Trigger Points on Viscoelastic and Muscular Contractile Properties: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Within-Participant Clinical Trial

J Clin Med. 2021 Aug 27;10(17):3848. doi: 10.3390/jcm10173848. ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate changes in neuromuscular function and pain perception in latent trigger points (TrPs) in the gastrocnemius muscle after a single session of dry needling. A randomized within-participant clinical trial was conducted. Fifty volunteers with latent TrPs in the gastrocnemius muscles were explored. […]

Safety of Dry Needling of the Pronator Teres Muscle in Cadavers: A Potential Treatment for Pronator Syndrome

Pain Med. 2021 Sep 14:pnab274. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnab274. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Entrapment of the median nerve at the pronator teres muscle can contribute to symptoms in the forearm and wrist. The pronator teres is also involved in patterns of spasticity observed in people who had suffered a stroke. Research on treatment efficacy with […]

Qualitative ultrasonography scale of the intensity of local twitch response during dry needling and its association with modified joint range of motion: a cross-sectional study

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021 Sep 14;22(1):790. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04592-z. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The relevance of local twitch response (LTR) during dry needling technique (DNT) is controversial, and it is questioned whether LTR is necessary for successful outcomes. Furthermore, because the LTR during the deep DNT may be evoked with different intensities, it is unknown whether the magnitude […]

Effects of dry needling of the obliquus capitis inferior on sensorimotor control and cervical mobility in people with neck pain: A double-blind, randomized sham-controlled trial

Braz J Phys Ther. 2021 Sep 5:S1413-3555(21)00083-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2021.07.005. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Impairments of sensorimotor control relating to head and eye movement control and postural stability are often present in people with neck pain. The upper cervical spine and particularly the obliquus capitis inferior (OCI) play an important proprioceptive role; and its […]

Analysis and comparison of pain pressure threshold and active cervical range of motion after superficial and deep dry needling techniques of the upper trapezius muscle

Acupunct Med. 2021 Sep 23:9645284211039523. doi: 10.1177/09645284211039523. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the changes in pain pressure threshold (PPT) and active cervical range of motion (ACROM) after the application of superficial dry needling (DN) or deep DN in myofascial trigger point (MTrP) 1 of the upper trapezius versus a simulated DN technique […]

Dry needling for the treatment of muscle spasticity in a patient with multiple sclerosis: a case report

Physiother Theory Pract. 2021 Sep 21:1-7. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.1978118. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Spasticity is a common cause of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), which can negatively affect the patient’s walking and balance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate effect of dry needling (DN) on spasticity and mobility in a female with MS. CASE DESCRIPTION: […]

Critical appraisal of "The use of dry needling vs. corticosteroid injection to treat lateral epicondylitis: a prospective, randomized, controlled study"

J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Sep 16:S1058-2746(21)00667-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2021.08.014. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:34537340 | DOI:10.1016/j.jse.2021.08.014

Effects of dry needling on gait and muscle tone in Parkinson's disease: a randomized clinical trial

Acupunct Med. 2021 Sep 19:9645284211039232. doi: 10.1177/09645284211039232. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Alterations in gait and muscular rigidity are common and disabling in persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether a single dry needling (DN) session can promote changes in gait and muscle tone in the […]

A novel blinding protocol to test participant and therapist blinding during dry needling: a randomised controlled experiment

Physiotherapy. 2021 Aug 25:S0031-9406(21)00082-1. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2021.08.007. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: Dry needling is widely used in physiotherapy. Lack of blinding in clinical trials means that dry needling effects and mechanisms remain unclear, with blinding issues accepted as an unavoidable barrier to better evidence. The authors aimed to overcome this barrier by designing a […]

Effects of Dry Needling in Teres Major Muscle in Elite Handball Athletes. A Randomised Controlled Trial

J Clin Med. 2021 Sep 20;10(18):4260. doi: 10.3390/jcm10184260. ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the effects of dry needling (DN) in active myofascial trigger points in the teres major muscle compared to an untreated control group in pain during throwing actions, shoulder range of motion (ROM), strength, and extensibility of the tissues in professional handball (HB) athletes. […]

Intramuscular Injections and Dry Needling within Masticatory Muscles in Management of Myofascial Pain. Systematic Review of Clinical Trials

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 10;18(18):9552. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189552. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Myofascial pain is an important cause of disability among the whole population, and it is a common symptom of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs). Its management techniques vary widely; however, in recent years, there has been a growing interest especially in needling therapies […]

A collaborative experiential problem-solving approach to develop shams for complex physical interventions: a case study of dry needling

Physiotherapy. 2021 Aug 8:S0031-9406(21)00076-6. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2021.08.004. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Complex physical interventions are widely used in physiotherapy, despite doubts over the validity of clinical trial results due to lack of credible shams. Credible shams are critically needed, so too, therefore, is a process by which they can be developed. The authors used […]

Effect of dry needling on lumbar muscle stiffness in patients with low back pain: A double blind, randomized controlled trial using shear wave elastography

J Man Manip Ther. 2021 Sep 16:1-11. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2021.1977069. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Background: Dry needling treatment focuses on restoring normal muscle function in patients with musculoskeletal pain; however, little research has investigated this assertion. Shear wave elastography (SWE) allows quantification of individual muscle function by estimating both resting and contracted muscle stiffness.Objective: To […]