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 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 […]

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 […]

Autologous blood and platelet-rich plasma injection therapy for lateral elbow pain

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Sep 30;9:CD010951. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010951.pub2. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Autologous whole blood or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are commonly used to treat lateral elbow pain (also known as tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis or epicondylalgia). Based on animal models and observational studies, these injections may modulate tendon injury healing, but randomised controlled trials […]

The efficacy of intramuscular electrical stimulation in the management of patients with myofascial pain syndrome: a systematic review

Chiropr Man Therap. 2021 Sep 27;29(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s12998-021-00396-z. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most common disorders causing chronic muscle pain. Almost one-third of patients with musculoskeletal complaints meet the MPS criteria. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) in patients with MPS […]

Dry Needling of Tight Hamstrings in the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain

Iran J Public Health. 2021 Jul;50(7):1511-1512. doi: 10.18502/ijph.v50i7.6653. NO ABSTRACT PMID:34568199 | PMC:PMC8426762 | DOI:10.18502/ijph.v50i7.6653

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. […]

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 […]

A Systematic Dry Needling Treatment Supports Recovery Post-Training for Division I Ice Hockey Athletes: An Exploration Case Series

J Athl Train. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0096.21. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Four student-athletes (aged 20 to 22 years old) participating in NCAA Division I ice hockey served as cases. Cases were free of injury, and participated in all team activities without restrictions. A dry needling (DN) lower extremity recovery protocol was completed on […]

Effects of dry needling on pain, disability, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing and psychological distress in patients with chronic neck pain: A randomized controlled pilot study

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2021 Jul 23. doi: 10.3233/BMR-200322. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in neck muscles seem to be related to the main symptoms of patients with chronic neck pain. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the effects of dry needling (DN) on pain, disability, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing and […]

Efficacy of Dry Needling and Acupuncture in the Treatment of Neck Pain

Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Apr 3;11(2):e113627. doi: 10.5812/aapm.113627. eCollection 2021 Apr. ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Neck pain is a common phenomenon and affects a large segment of the population. Chronic neck pain, lasting more than 3 months, likely occurs in 10% – 30% of patients with acute neck pain and affects up to 288 million cases globally, […]

Dry needling trigger points around knee and hip joints improves function in patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021 Jul;27:597-604. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.04.011. Epub 2021 Apr 30. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Dry needling may be an effective method to alleviate pain and improve range of motion. Controversial results have been found in previous studies using dry needling in knee problems. So, the aim of current study is to exert dry needling technique […]

Somatosensory Pulsatile Tinnitus Syndrome (SSPT) Revisited

Int Tinnitus J. 2021 Mar 1;25(1):39-45. doi: 10.5935/0946-5448.2021009. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Our initial study reported consecutive patients with constant cardiac synchronous subjective tinnitus (pulsatile tinnitus without an identifiable acoustic source (P)) all of whom could suppress their pulsations with head and neck intense muscle contractions (“somatic testing” (ST)). The term somatosensory pulsatile tinnitus syndrome (SSPT) was […]

Immediate decrease of muscle biomechanical stiffness following dry needling in asymptomatic participants

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021 Jul;27:605-611. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.04.014. Epub 2021 Apr 22. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Biomechanical muscle stiffness has been linked to musculoskeletal disorders. Assessing changes in muscle stiffness following DN may help elucidate a physiologic mechanism of DN. This study characterizes the effects of dry needling (DN) to the infraspinatus, erector spinae, and gastrocnemius muscles […]

Physical therapy treatment of a pediatric patient with symptoms consistent with a spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality: A retrospective case report

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2021 Jul;27:455-463. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.01.008. Epub 2021 Feb 11. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: A spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is a relatively uncommon event that occurs in children following cervical trauma primarily due to sports-related injuries or physical abuse. CASE DESCRIPTION: This case report describes an 11-year-old wrestler that developed signs and […]

Author Response to "Are Findings From a Pragmatic Dry Needling Trial Always Applicable in the Real World?"

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021 Sep;51(9):471-472. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2021.0202-R. ABSTRACT Author response to the JOSPT Letter to the Editor-in-Chief “Are Findings From a Pragmatic Dry Needling Trial Always Applicable in the Real World?” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2021;51(9):471-472. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.0202-R. PMID:34465142 | DOI:10.2519/jospt.2021.0202-R