Morphological classification of the temporalis muscle: anatomical, radiological, and surgical perspectives

Authors:Adrian Okoń, Ingrid C Landfald, Łukasz Olewnik Front Surg. 2026 Mar 3;13:1704668. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2026.1704668. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT The temporalis muscle (TM) shows substantive morphological variability with direct implications for surgical planning and imaging interpretation. Drawing on cadaveric series and imaging cohorts, we critically synthesise convergent findings on layered architecture, distal tendon configuration and retromolar extensions, […]

Treatment of chronic recalcitrant gluteal trochanteric pain syndrome with dry needling and electrical stimulation: A case study

Authors:J Bleacher, C Mansfield, M Smith, T Barth, N Gulla, M Briggs J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jun;46:374-381. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.11.017. Epub 2025 Nov 19. ABSTRACT A 67-year-old male presented with chronic right gluteal tendinopathy and greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) following a fall nine months prior. He reported persistent pain (8/10), impaired sleep, and limited […]

Double-blind randomized control trial investigating immediate changes in pain processing measures in response to dry needling to the lumbar multifidus in an asymptomatic population

Authors:Logan Rodgers, Jenny Bruck, Erienne Blanchard, Joel Bialosky J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2026 Jun;46:356-364. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2025.11.022. Epub 2025 Nov 21. ABSTRACT INTRO: Dry needling (DN) is a conservative treatment for managing low back pain. Knowledge of the mechanisms by which DN modulates pain provides insight into matching this intervention to subgroups within the low back […]

Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy on post-needling soreness in the trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle: A randomized double-blinded sham-controlled trial

Authors:Nutkamol U-Anantrakool, Kollatee Buranarach, Chanwit Phongamwong J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2026 Mar 31:10538127261432695. doi: 10.1177/10538127261432695. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BackgroundDry needling (DN) has been recognized as an effective intervention for the inactivation of myofascial trigger points. Nevertheless, post-needling soreness is the most frequently reported adverse event associated with this procedure.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate […]

Effectiveness of Dry Needling Versus Percutaneous Electrolysis in Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Authors:Sara Delgado Álvarez, Roberto Méndez Sánchez, Luis Polo Ferrero, Isaac Rodríguez Fragua, Catalina Loaiciga Espeleta, Roberto González Raja, Zacarías Sánchez Milá, Jorge Velázquez Saornil Cureus. 2026 Feb 27;18(2):e104384. doi: 10.7759/cureus.104384. eCollection 2026 Feb. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is characterized by pain, inflammation, and functional limitations. It is also the most common cause of pain […]

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis versus dry needling in patients with chronic low back pain a double-blind randomized clinical trial

Authors:Manuel Saavedra-Hernández, Inmaculada C Lara-Palomo, Cristian Sánchez-Ferre, Rubén Fernández-García, Juan José González-Gerez, Adelaida M Castro-Sánchez Sci Rep. 2026 Mar 30. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-45876-5. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:41912736 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-45876-5

Collagen injections versus dry needling in the treatment of chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial

Authors:Vincenzo Alessio Chirico, Giovanna Mazzuoccolo, Michela Saracco, Domiziano Tarantino, Carlo Ruosi, Bruno Corrado Front Surg. 2026 Mar 13;13:1771944. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2026.1771944. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: This randomized controlled study compares ultrasound-guided collagen injections (USG-CI) vs. ultrasound- guided dry needling (USG-DN) for treating chronic supraspinatus tendinopathy. METHODS: Forty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 20 […]

Cadaveric and Ultrasound-Guided Evaluation of Two Needling Approaches Targeting the Pectoralis Minor Muscle: A Pilot Feasibility Study

Authors:José L Sánchez-Sánchez, Pedro Belón-Pérez, Xavier Grevol-Coll, Miguel Robles-García, Gustavo Plaza-Manzano, César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, Laura Calderón-Díez J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2026 Mar 16;11(1):121. doi: 10.3390/jfmk11010121. ABSTRACT Background: The pectoralis minor muscle can be a source of musculoskeletal-related chest pain by contributing to thoracic outlet syndrome. Needling interventions applied to chest wall muscles have an inherent risk […]

Author response to: letter to the editor: clinical impact and relevance of dry needling site location in the management of chronic neck pain

Authors:Fernando Piña-Pozo, Hermann Fricke-Comellas, Ángel Oliva-Pascual-Vaca, Félix Paredes-López, Ana Isabel Hueso-Pérez, Alberto Marcos Heredia-Rizo J Man Manip Ther. 2026 Mar 24:1-3. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2026.2647081. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:41877407 | DOI:10.1080/10669817.2026.2647081

Letter to editor – The effects of dry needling and therapeutic exercise on sleep in individuals with chronic neck pain and sleep disturbance: a feasibility randomized clinical trial

Authors:Sunaina Gupta, Sandeep Pattnaik J Man Manip Ther. 2026 Mar 24:1-2. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2026.2648679. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:41875291 | DOI:10.1080/10669817.2026.2648679

A dual-database bibliometric analysis on dry needling for pain: Global trends and hotspots from web of science core collection and Scopus (2006-2025)

Authors:Mo Liao, Xinhui Cheng, Fei Liu, Xingjuan Xiong, Yongsheng Yu Front Neurol. 2026 Mar 4;17:1713196. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1713196. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Dry needling (DN) has been shown to exert beneficial effects in pain management. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis specifically examining the relationship between DN and pain has not yet been conducted. This study aims […]

Dry needling frequency and its effect on pain and disability in acute cervical myofascial pain: a multicenter study

Authors:Gracjan Olaniszyn, Adrian Kużdżał, Filipe Manuel Clemente, Ana Filipa Silva, Robert Trybulski Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2026 Mar 18;69(5):102112. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2026.102112. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Optimal dry needling frequency for chronic mechanical neck pain remains uncertain, warranting dose-response testing. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether dry needling delivered once (DN1x) vs 3 (DN3x) times per […]

Temporalis Muscle-Originated Supraorbital Neuralgia Misdiagnosed as Trigeminal Neuralgia

Authors:Hui Liu, Shuai Xiong, Chengming Zhang J Craniofac Surg. 2026 Mar 16. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000012643. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT In patients with pharmacotherapy-refractory supraorbital neuralgia, a myofascial etiology should be included in the differential diagnosis. The authors report a case of a 73-year-old man with left supraorbital pain triggered by mastication, initially misdiagnosed as trigeminal […]

Thumbtack needling combined with sodium hyaluronate eye drops for moderate-to-severe dry eye

Authors:Yanchen An, Shengwei Wu, Man Yu, Min Li Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2026 Mar 12;46(3):361-366. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250206-0002. Epub 2026 Jan 6. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of thumbtack needling combined with sodium hyaluronate eye drops in the treatment of moderate-to-severe dry eye. METHODS: A total of 72 patients with moderate-to-severe dry eye were randomly […]

Musculoskeletal Treatments: Physical Modalities

Authors:Liana Kobayashi, Kana Maeji Carter FP Essent. 2026 Feb;561:22-29. ABSTRACT Chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders account for 70% to 80% of chronic pain diagnoses in the United States. T he most common conditions are low back pain, neck pain, headache disorders, and knee and hip osteoarthritis. Most evidence suggests that treatments for chronic pain are best […]

Effects of Spinal Manipulation and Dry Needling on Headache and Migraine: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Authors:Rubén Maroto-García, Samuel Sánchez-Fernández, Germán Monclús-Díez, Sandra Sánchez-Jorge, Mónica López-Redondo, Marcin Kołacz, Dariusz Kosson, Juan Antonio Valera-Calero J Clin Med. 2026 Mar 9;15(5):2084. doi: 10.3390/jcm15052084. ABSTRACT Background/Objectives: Cervical pain is defined as pain in the neck that may or may not radiate to one or both upper extremities and lasts at least one day. Headaches […]

Development and internal validation of a therapeutic effect predictive model for myofascial pain syndrome

Authors: Xiumei Zhu , Wanquan Cheng Front Neurol. 2026 Feb 24;17:1761946. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1761946. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a common chronic pain disorder, and there are significant individual differences in its clinical efficacy. Currently, there is a lack of reliable prediction tools to guide individualized treatment decisions. This study aimed to […]

Integrating Functional Anatomy into Dry Needling Education in a DPT Curriculum

Authors:Wanli Lei, Mitchell Wolden J Allied Health. 2026 Spring;55(1):55-68. doi: 10.21091/jah.2026.01007. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Dry needling (DN) is increasingly included in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curricula, yet standardized education integrating functional anatomy and clinical reasoning is limited. This study evaluated the impact of an intensive, anatomy-based DN elective on students’ perceived knowledge, confidence, clinical skills, […]

Curricular Variability in Dry Needling Education Across Entry-Level DPT Programs in the US

Authors: Tiffany L Barrett, Gary A Kearns, Emilio J Puentedura, Jean-Michel Brismée Med Sci Educ. 2025 Oct 6;35(6):3013-3024. doi: 10.1007/s40670-025-02511-8. eCollection 2025 Dec. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Dry needling is increasingly used by physical therapists to manage pain and neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. Despite widespread clinical adoption and regulatory support across most United States (US), dry needling instruction in […]

Efficacy of Topical 5-Fluorouracil Combined with Microneedling in the Treatment of Stable Vitiligo

Authors:Narmeen Mohammed Baher Abdulqader, Dindar Sharif Qurtas, Barzan Khalid Sharaf J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2026 Mar;36(3):406-409. doi: 10.29271/jcpsp.2026.03.406. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of topical 5-Fluorouracil combined with microneedling in treating stable vitiligo. STUDY DESIGN: A clinical prospective trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Dermatology, Azadi Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Iraq, […]