Archives

Efficacy of dry needling in reducing spasticity after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors:Xinyi Yuan, Ziwen Wang, Huiru Zhang, Yongqiang Li, Dianhuai Meng Complement Ther Med. 2026 Aug 15:103420. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103420. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of dry needling (DN) in reducing spasticity among post-stroke patients through meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of Science, PEDro, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Embase were searched up […]

A review of the synergistic mechanisms of Yijinjing, meridian sinew therapy, dry needling, and Fascial Manipulation in chronic cervical myofascial pain based on the fascia-meridian sinew continuum

Authors:Mengyao Liu, Yongkai Li, Rong Bian Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 Jul 23;13:1881739. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1881739. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT Chronic cervical myofascial pain is a common and disabling musculoskeletal pain condition, yet its persistence is unlikely to be explained by a single local lesion. Current evidence points to a multilevel process involving hypersensitive nodal sites, impaired fascial […]

“Dry Needling in Plastic Surgery: Enhancing Surgical Ergonomics, Wellness, and Patient Optimization Through Myofascial Pain Management”

Authors:Stephanie Taiberg, Aaron L Wiegmann, George Kokosis Plast Reconstr Surg. 2026 Aug 5. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000013368. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:42554660 | DOI:10.1097/PRS.0000000000013368

Interventional Procedures in Sports

Authors:Thomas Le Corroller, Pierre Champsaur Radiol Clin North Am. 2026 Sep;64(5):803-812. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2026.05.001. Epub 2026 Jun 25. ABSTRACT Image-guided percutaneous procedures are increasingly important in managing sports-related overuse and degenerative injuries. Corticosteroid injections remain widely used to reduce inflammation in conditions such as tendinopathies, cartilage lesions, synovitis, joint impingement, and spinal degeneration. However, treatment is […]

Clinical effect of kinesio taping combined with dry needling to myofascial trigger point on shoulder-hand syndrome in hemiplegia patients: a randomized controlled trial

Authors:Xuehai Lv, Zhengmao Xiang, Cheng Chang, Pengna Hao, Linxi Li, Nuan Yang, Yinuo Guo, Jia Chai, Xiaofei Zhou, Xiaoshuai Zhu, Yuemin Gao, Yiping Wu Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2026 Aug 3. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.26.09209-9. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) is a common complication after stroke, characterized by pain, edema, and functional […]

Current Evidence, Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions of Rotator Cuff Failure: A Systematic Review

Authors:Maithili V Potdar, Sandeep Shinde, Akshaya V Joshi, Sanjaykumar Patil Cureus. 2026 Jul 3;18(7):e111998. doi: 10.7759/cureus.111998. eCollection 2026 Jul. ABSTRACT Rotator cuff tears (RTs) are among the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions worldwide, imposing substantial burdens of chronic pain, functional limitation, and socioeconomic cost. The underlying pathophysiology is multifactorial, encompassing progressive mechanical attrition, tendon degeneration, and […]

Current status and research gaps of neuromodulation in the rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis: a scoping review

Authors:Hengjia Liu, Qiang Tang Front Neurol. 2026 Jul 15;17:1845945. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1845945. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease with a growing global disease burden, yet traditional interventions have limited efficacy. Neuromodulation has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological rehabilitation strategy for KOA, but existing reviews have not systematically synthesized […]

Beyond Structural Pathology: Central Sensitization and Chronic Pain with Reference to Lumbar Disc Herniation-A Narrative Review

Authors:Igor Kordowski, Maciej Chroboczek Brain Sci. 2026 Jun 25;16(7):664. doi: 10.3390/brainsci16070664. ABSTRACT Chronic pain is increasingly understood as a multidimensional condition in which, in a substantial subgroup of patients, a protective symptom can evolve into a persistent maladaptive disorder of the nervous system, while in others it may remain closely tied to ongoing mechanical or […]

Immediate Effects of Dry Needling in Patients with Myofascial Temporomandibular Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors:Nurcan Durmaz, Serdar Gözler, Gamze Demircioğlu, Kevser Burma Healthcare (Basel). 2026 Jul 20;14(14):2189. doi: 10.3390/healthcare14142189. ABSTRACT Background: Myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are associated with pain and trigger points in the masticatory muscles. Dry needling (DN) is used for myofascial pain, but evidence regarding immediate effects remains limited. Objective: This participant- and outcome-assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial […]

Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Nature-Based Immersive Virtual Reality During Dry Needling: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors:Rodrigo Martín-San Agustín, Alberto Gadea-Blázquez, Elena Millán-Magariños, Adrian Escriche-Escuder, Borja Tronchoni-Crespo, Javier Guerra-Armas J Clin Med. 2026 Jul 20;15(14):5683. doi: 10.3390/jcm15145683. ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of nature-based immersive virtual reality (IVR) applied during dry needling (DN) on pain experienced during the procedure and on immediate and short-term post-intervention outcomes, compared […]

The evolving landscape of minimally invasive procedures in musculoskeletal diseases-part I

Authors:Fernando Saraiva, Esperanza Naredo Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 Jul 10;13:1826391. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1826391. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT This review aims to cover a wide array of minimally invasive musculoskeletal procedures developed to address several articular and periarticular conditions locally. Besides details related to ultrasound guidance, in part 1, we will review barbotage, botulinum toxin, corticosteroids, dry needling, […]

Surface and elemental analysis of stainless-steel needles after invasive physiotherapy: an exploratory scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study

Authors:Emilio J Poveda-Pagán, Carlos Lozano-Quijada, José Vicente Toledo-Marhuenda, José Vicente Segura-Heras, Manel Santafé Sci Rep. 2026 Jul 15. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-57733-6. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT This study evaluated the safety and chemical variations of stainless-steel needles during human tissue application using four electrical stimulation modalities: high-intensity and low-intensity direct current, microcurrents, and compensated biphasic waves. […]

Fascia as a Functional System in Health and Disease: From Fundamental Biology to Assessment and Targeted Interventions

Authors:Hao Huang, Lei Chen, Yitian Lai, Wu Li, Jiangshan Li Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Jun 29;27(13):5871. doi: 10.3390/ijms27135871. ABSTRACT Fascia is increasingly recognized as a dynamic functional system. It can actively sense, transmit, and regulate mechanical, sensory, and metabolic signals. Why does fascia play such a critical role in chronic pain and movement disorders? […]

Trigger Point Electrical Dry Needling with Different Waveforms Plus Intra-Articular Corticosteroid for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial [Response to Letter]

Authors:Yulian Lin, Wensen Jia, Chang Liu, Yujia Tang, Yan Yuan J Pain Res. 2026 Jul 10;19:636470. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S636470. eCollection 2026. NO ABSTRACT PMID:42454013 | PMC:PMC13367626 | DOI:10.2147/JPR.S636470

Trigger Point Electrical Dry Needling with Different Waveforms for Knee Osteoarthritis: Mechanistic Insights and Methodological Considerations [Letter]

Authors:Yang Yu, Han Zhang, XinYi Hu, YiMing Liu, MengRan Zhang, ChenBen Zhang, LiLi Wang J Pain Res. 2026 Jul 10;19:633926. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S633926. eCollection 2026. NO ABSTRACT PMID:42454003 | PMC:PMC13367628 | DOI:10.2147/JPR.S633926

Effectiveness of dry needling combined with exercise therapy versus exercise alone for pain and functional outcomes in knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Authors:Muhammad Tayyab, Ameer Afzal Khan, Rahman Syed, Suleman Shah, Mohammed Al Meqbaali, Anfal Khan, Mohammed Al Sinani Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2026 Jul 13;18:1759720X261463350. doi: 10.1177/1759720X261463350. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability worldwide. Although exercise therapy is the recommended first-line treatment, many patients continue to […]

Safety, anatomical accuracy, and reliability of a dry needling protocol targeting the soleus muscle: A cadaveric study with ultrasound and dissection validation

Authors:Marta Sánchez-Montoya, Ángel González-de-la-Flor, Néstor Vallecillo Hernández, Charles Cotteret, Fabien Guerineau, Domingo de Guzman Monreal Redondo, Jaime Almazán-Polo J Man Manip Ther. 2026 Jul 15:1-12. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2026.2700322. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Despite the growing clinical use of dry needling, the anatomical accuracy and safety of ultrasound-unguided approaches to the soleus remain insufficiently standardized […]

A severity-based classification framework for dry needling unintended responses and adverse events: An expert consensus Delphi

Authors:Gary A Kearns, Austin Sheldon, Tiffany Barrett, Emilio Puentedura, Jean-Michel Brismée, Jan Dommerholt Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2026 Jul 11;85:103618. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2026.103618. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To develop an expert-derived, consensus based framework for defining and classifying unintended responses (UR) and adverse events (AE) following dry needling (DN) through an exploratory, descriptive modified Delphi […]

The evolving landscape of minimally invasive procedures in musculoskeletal diseases-Part II

Authors:Fernando Saraiva, Esperanza Naredo Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 Jun 29;13:1829343. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1829343. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT This review aims to cover a wide array of minimally invasive musculoskeletal procedures developed to address several articular and periarticular conditions locally. In part 2, we will cover nerve blocks, ozonetherapy, platelet-rich plasma and derivatives, prolotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals, sclerotherapy, thermal ablation, […]

Cervical spine extension associated with reduced anatomical risk of spinal canal perforation in a cadaveric study

Authors:Tyler Miller, Christi Williams, Christian R Falyar, Ryan C McConnell Sci Rep. 2026 Jul 13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-61658-5. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Dry needling (DN) is an effective treatment for cervical pain, but its invasive nature carries risks of adverse events like spinal canal perforation. This study aimed to determine whether cervical spine positioning influences […]