Treating Lateral Epicondylopathy With Dry Needling and Exercise: A Case Series.

CONTEXT: Lateral epicondylopathy (LE) is a common overuse injury affecting elbow, wrist, and hand function. It is characterized by weakness and pain in the muscles and tendons of the forearm responsible for the extension of your wrist and fingers. Trigger point dry needling is a technique reported to be beneficial in managing pain and dysfunction after LE diagnosis. LE is also commonly treated with conservative treatment, such as joint and soft tissue mobilization, self-care home programs, and anti-inflammatory use. We explored a different dry needling approach consisting of in situ dry needling with electric stimulation combined with targeted therapeutic exercise to treat LE in 3 cases. CASE PRESENTATION: Three patients were referred for dry needling once a week for 6 weeks and home-based exercise therapy for LE. They were clinically evaluated using grip strength, a visual analog scale to assess pain, and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Test scores. These were measured at 4 time points (weeks 0, 2, 4, and 6). MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES: The dry needling intervention incorporated 8 locations in the upper-extremity with 2 electric stimulation channels. The patients had reduced pain as measured by a visual analog scale, increased function as measured by the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Test, and increased grip strength over 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: This case series illustrates the use of dry needling and a home exercise program to provide a favorable outcome in a patient with LE. Patients had an 80% to 100% reduction in pain and similar improvements in function that were significantly beyond the minimum clinically important difference. This dry needling approach is a safe and effective treatment of LE in the short term.

COMPARISON THE EFFICACY OF DRY NEEDLING AND ISCHEMIC COMPRESSION METHODS IN MIYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL.

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is the most common in the musculoskeletal disease. Dry needling techniques and ischemic compression are the most common applications. We aimed to compare the efficacy of dry needling and ischemic compression methods on pain, cervical range of motion and disability in myofascial pain syndrome. This is a randomized, controlled study. 98 patients with MPS were randomly assigned into three groups. Group1 received dry needling (n=33), group 2 (n=33) received ischemic compression and group 3 (n=32) received combined with dry needling and ischemic compression inventions. Additionally, all patients were given neck exercise programs including isotonic, isometric, and stretching. The severity of the pain was measured by visual analog scale (VAS). The pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cervical range of motion (ROM) were also recorded. Disability was assessed by the Neck Pain Disability Scale. All assessments were performed before the treatment and one month and three months after the treatment. There were statistically significant improvements in VAS, PPT, cervical ROM, and disability scores after one and three months in all groups compared to pre-treatment results (p<0.05). After three months of follow-up, statistically significant differences were observed in all parameters between the groups (p<0.05) except cervical ROM (p>0.05). Myofascial pain syndrome in patients with ischemic compression and dry needling effective treatment methods are shown separately in our study to be more effective when used together.

Dry needling combined with exercise therapy: Effects on wrist flexors spasticity in post-stroke patients - A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The positive contribution of dry needling (DN) in conjunction with exercise therapy for patients with stroke and spasticity remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of DN combined with exercise therapy on wrist flexor spasticity and motor function in patients with stroke. METHODS: Twenty-four participants with stroke were randomly assigned to either the DN and exercise therapy group or the DN alone group. Assessments were conducted at baseline, after the 4th treatment session, and 3 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS: A significant Group×Time interaction was observed for wrist active range of motion (ROM) (P = 0.046), favoring the DN with exercise therapy group (∼10° at baseline, ∼15° immediately after the 4th session, and 15.4° at follow-up). The improvements in spasticity, passive ROM, and H-reflex latency were sustained during follow-up. However, there were no significant between-group differences in any outcome at any measurement time point. CONCLUSION: The combined DN and exercise therapy did not exhibit superiority over DN alone concerning spasticity severity and motor function. However, it demonstrated additional advantages, particularly in improving motor neuron excitability and wrist passive extension.

Efficacy and safety of combined microneedling therapy for androgenic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: To provide dermatologists with more clinical experience in treating androgenetic alopecia, we evaluated the effect and safety of combined microneedling therapy for androgenetic alopecia. METHODS: Studies on combined microneedling for hair loss were comprehensively searched by us in PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, and the Cochrane Library Database. The literature search spanned the period from 2012 to 2022. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed, and the literature was screened according to this criteria. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the quality of the studies. The researcher applied Revman 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software to analyze the data after extracting information from the data. RESULTS: Finally, 13 RCTs involving 696 AGA patients were included to compare the clinical effectiveness and adverse events of combined MN therapy with single MN therapy or single drug therapy for AGA. The results of meta-analysis showed as follows: (1) Hair density and diameter changes: The combined MN group was significantly better than any single treatment group, and the differences were statistically significant (MD = 13.36, 95% CI = [8.55, 18.16], Z = 5.45, p < 0.00001; MD = 18.11, 95% CI = [13.70, 22.52], Z = 8.04, p < 0.00001; MD = 13.36, 95% CI = [8.55, 18.16], Z = 5.45, p < 0.00001; MD = 2.50, 95% CI = [0.99, 4.02], Z = 3.23, p = 0.001); (2) the evaluation of satisfaction for efficacy: The doctor satisfaction rating of the combined MN group was significantly higher than that of any single treatment group, with statistical difference (RR = 2.03, 95% CI = [1.62, 2.53], Z = 6.24, p < 0.00001). The difference between the two groups regarding patients satisfaction was not significant (RR = 3.44, 95% CI = [0.67, 17.59], Z = 1.49, p = 0.14). (3) Safety: There was no statistical difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between combination therapy and monotherapy (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = [0.62, 1.12], Z = 1.22, p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: The combined MN group showed statistically significant improvement in hair density and diameter, and good safety compared with monotherapy.

Acupuncture and dry needling for physical therapy of scar: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: There is a continuing interest in finding effective methods for scar treatment. Dry needling is gaining popularity in physiotherapy and is defined by Western medicine as a type of acupuncture. The terms acupuncture and dry needling have been used interchangeably so we have focused on the efficacy of dry needling or acupuncture in scar treatment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to determine the usefulness of dry needling or local acupuncture for scar treatment. In our search process, we used the terms 'acupuncture,' 'needling,' or 'dry needling' to identify all relevant scientific papers. We have focused on the practical aspects of local management of different scar types with dry needling or acupuncture. SEARCH STRATEGY: The search strategy included different combinations of the following keywords: 'scar', 'keloid', 'dry needling', 'needling', 'acupuncture', 'treatment', 'physical therapy'. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE (PubMed, EBSCOHost and Ovid), EMBASE (Elsevier), and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant publications from inception through October 2023. INCLUSION CRITERIA: The studies that investigated the effectiveness of dry needling or acupuncture for scar treatment were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: The main extraction data items were: the needling technique; needle: diameter, length; needling locations; manual needling manipulation; number of sessions; settings; outcomes and results. RESULTS: As a result of a comprehensive search, 11 manuscripts were included in the systematic review, of which eight were case reports, two were randomized trials and one study concerned case series. Two case reports scored 2-4 out of 8 points on the JBI checklist, five studies scored 5-7, and one study scored 8 points. The methodological quality of the two clinical trials was rated as good or fair on the PEDro scale. The case series study scored 7 of 10 points on the JBI checklist. A meta-analysis was not possible as only two randomized trials, eight case reports, and one case series were eligible for review; also, scar assessment scales and pain severity scales were highly heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: The studies differed regarding the delivery of dry needling or local acupuncture for scar treatment. Differences included treatment frequency, duration, number of treatments, selection of needle insertion sites, number of needles used, angle of needle placement, and use of manual needling manipulation. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: INPLASY no. 202310058.

Dry Needling Versus Manual Therapy for Patients With Mechanical Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the short- and intermediate-term effects of dry needling to manual therapy on pain, disability, function, and patient-perceived improvement in patients with mechanical neck pain. DESIGN: A single (therapist) blinded randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients (mean ± SD age, 50.74 ± 13.81) were randomly assigned to one of the 2 groups: (1) dry needling and therapeutic exercises (DN + Exercises) and (2) manual therapy and therapeutic exercises (MT + Exercises). Both groups received 7 treatment sessions over a maximum of 6 weeks. Outcome measures, collected at baseline, 2 weeks, discharge (7th treatment session), and 3 months after discharge, were as follows: Neck Disability Index (NDI), numeric pain-rating scale (NPRS), Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), global rating of change (GROC), Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (FABQ), and Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test (DNFET). Data were analyzed with mixed-model analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using pretest scores as covariates, and a Mann-Whitney U test for GROC scores. RESULTS: The ANCOVA revealed significant group-by-time interaction for all variables. Significant between-group differences, favoring MT + Exercises, were observed at all 3 time points on the NDI (2 weeks: F1,446 = 172.68, P≤.001, [Formula: see text] = .27; discharge: F1,446 = 254.15, P≤.001, [Formula: see text] = .36; and 3 months: F1,446 = 339.40, P≤.001, [Formula: see text] = .43). Results for the MT + Exercises group exceeded recommended minimal clinically important difference for all variables, at all follow-up points. CONCLUSION: MT + Exercises was more effective, both in the short term and intermediate term, than DN + Exercises in reducing pain, disability, and improving function in patients with mechanical neck pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(4):1-12. Epub 29 January 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12091.

Treating myofascial pain with dry needling: a systematic review for the best evidence-based practices in low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common source of pain in primary care or pain clinics. There are many different ways to manage and treat MPS, such as physical exercise, trigger points massage, and dry needling. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this overview is to highlight and discuss the evidence-based treatment of myofascial pain by dry needling in patients with low back pain. METHODS: A systematic review was made based on meta-analysis (MA) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to dry needling treatment for myofascial pain in patients with lumbar pain, published from 2000 to 2023. RESULTS: A total of 509 records were identified at first. Seventy were published before 2000, so they were excluded. From the remaining 439 studies, ninety-two were RCTs or MA, of which 86 additional studies were excluded for the following reasons: not related to dry needling treatment (n = 79), not published in English (n = 4), duplicated (n = 1), project protocol (n = 1), and not related to myofascial pain (n = 1). So, this review was based on 4 RCTs and two MA. These studies compared dry needling efficacy to other treatments, such as acupuncture, sham dry needling, laser therapy, physical therapy, local anesthetic injection, ischemic compression, and neuroscience education. Despite outcomes and follow-up period varied between them, they showed that dry needling can decrease post-intervention pain intensity and pain disability. CONCLUSION: Dry needling is an effective procedure for the treatment of myofascial pain in patients with acute and chronic low back pain. Further high-quality studies are needed to clarify the long-term outcomes.

ANTECEDENTES: A síndrome dolorosa miofascial (SDM) é uma fonte comum de dor em centros primários de atenção à saúde ou nas clínicas de dor. Existem muitas formas diferentes de manejar e tratar a SDM, como o exercício físico, a massagem dos pontos de gatilho e o agulhamento a seco. OBJETIVO: O objetivo desta revisão é destacar e discutir o tratamento baseado em evidências da dor miofascial por agulhamento a seco em doentes com dor lombar. MéTODOS: Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática baseada em metanálises (MA) e ensaios clínicos randomizados (RCTs) relacionados ao tratamento da dor miofascial com agulhamento a seco em pacientes com dor lombar, publicados de 2000 a 2023. RESULTADOS: Foram identificados, inicialmente, um total de 509 registos. Setenta deles, publicados antes de 2000, foram excluídos. Dos 439 estudos restantes, 92 eram RCTs ou MA, dos quais 86 foram excluídos pelas seguintes razões: não relacionados a tratamento com agulhamento a seco (n = 79), não publicados em inglês (n = 4), duplicados (n = 1), protocolo de projeto (n = 1) e não relacionados com dor miofascial (n = 1). Assim, esta revisão baseou-se em quatro RCTs e duas MA. Esses estudos compararam a eficácia do agulhamento seco com outros tratamentos, tais como acupuntura, agulhamento a seco "sham", terapia com laser, fisioterapia, injeção de anestésico local, compressão isquêmica e educação em neurociências. Apesar de os resultados e o período de seguimento variarem entre os estudos, os estudos demonstram que o agulhamento a seco pode diminuir a intensidade da dor pós-intervenção e a incapacidade relacionada à dor. CONCLUSãO: O agulhamento a seco é um procedimento eficaz para o tratamento da dor miofascial em pacientes com dor lombar aguda e crônica. Mais estudos são necessários para esclarecer sua eficácia a longo prazo.

YouTube as a source of information and education on ultrasound- guided dry needling.

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the educational quality of videos related to ultrasound guided dry needling (USDN). Material and method: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study. A video-based search was performed on the YouTube online video sharing platform (https://www.youtube.com/) using the English keywords "ultrasound guided dry needling" on May 10, 2023. The first 60 videos were analysed. RESULT: The first 60 videos were analyzed, and 32 videos that met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The content of the videos mostly consisted of technical knowledge regarding Ultrasound Guided Dry Needling (USGDN) (56.3%) and information (43.84%). The total mean DISCERN score was 26.9 ± 12.0 (range 17 to 54). The total mean JAMA Score was 2.4 ± 0.7 (range 2 to 4). There was no significant differences between the groups, according to the DISCERN, and JAMAs scores (all p>0.05). The video with the highest DISCERN score belongedto The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) channel. CONCLUSION: There is a significant amount of content available on YouTube regarding USDN; however, unfortunately, most of the existing content is of low quality and carries the risk of misinformation. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the importance of health-related information on YouTubeand strive to provide high-quality, accurate, and up-to-date content.

Iliopsoas trigger point dry needling and therapeutic stretching in the treatment of a series of six consecutive patients presenting with acute lumbar radiculitis and foot drop.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical results, number of treatments administered and the cost of care of a series of six consecutive patients presenting with acute lumbar radiculitis and a foot drop treated with iliopsoas myofascial treatments. METHOD: A retrospective chart review of the results of iliopsoas myofascial treatments for acute lumbar radiculitis in six consecutive patients presenting with acute sciatic pain and ipsilateral foot drop. RESULTS: Five of six (83%) patients with acute lumbar radiculitis and foot drop responded without need for surgical decompression. In responders, heel walk returned in 2, 3, 10, 13 and 32 weeks after initiating treatment. The patients received an average of 6.7 trigger point dry needling treatments (range 3-14) and 9.5 physical therapy sessions (range 3-16). The average cost of the medical care, based upon the rate of $125 for trigger points and $75 for physical therapy, was $1691.66 (range $693.75-2712.50). CONCLUSIONS: Iliopsoas myofascial treatments achieved an acceptable, risk-free, relatively inexpensive method of management in the non-surgical care of these six patients presenting with severe, acute lumbar radiculitis.

Effectiveness of deep dry needling versus manual therapy in the treatment of myofascial temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are the most common cause of orofacial pain of non-dental origin, with approximately 42% of diagnoses corresponding to myofascial pain. Manual therapy and dry needling are commonly used interventions for the treatment of myofascial temporomandibular disorders. However, it is unclear whether one of them could be superior to the other. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present systematic review and network meta-analysis was to compare the effectiveness of manual therapy and dry needling in patients with myofascial TMD. METHODS: This is a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Randomized clinical trials were searched in the databases of Pubmed, PEDro, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Google Academic and EMBASE. The methodological quality of studies included in this review was judged using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. A frequentist network meta-analysis was carried out, assuming random effects, to estimate the effects of interventions for temporomandibular joint pain measured on a 10-point visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Out of 3190 records identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis and eight were included in the network meta-analysis. Indirect comparisons between dry needling and manual therapy showed no significant differences in their effects on pain reduction (Odds Ratio [95%CI]; - 0.263 [- 1.517, 0.992]). The ranking of treatments shows that manual therapy (SUCRA = 0.932) followed by deep dry needling (SUCRA = 0.775) present the highest values of estimation and can be considered the most likely to reduce pain. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the network meta-analysis should be considered with caution due to the low quality of the evidence available and the high variability of the study protocols in terms of the method of application of dry needling and manual therapy interventions. PROSPERO under identifier: (CRD42020186470).

Obtaining local twitch response with ultrasound-guided dry needling.

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Dry Needling for Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition of Quadriceps Femoris in Patients after Reconstruction of Anterior Cruciate Ligament: a Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: : Dry needling (DN) is recommended as a therapeutic modality for various neuromusculoskeletal disorders. No study has been performed on the impact of DN on arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study protocol is aimed to investigate the impacts of DN on AMI of quadriceps femoris, corticomotor, and spinal reflex excitability in patients with ACLR. Methods: : A double-blind, between-subject, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted to measure changes in AMI after DN. Twenty-four subjects with ACLR will be recruited to receive a DN or a sham DN, providing that they met the inclusion criteria. Three sessions of DN on the quadriceps femoris will be applied during a one-week period. The primary outcome measures are the active motor threshold, motor evoked potential, and Hmax - Mmax ratio. The secondary outcomes are the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee form questionnaire score and maximum quadriceps isometric torque. Data will be collected at baseline, immediately after the first session, after the third session, and at the one-month follow-up visit. Discussion: : The results of this study will provide preliminary evidence regarding the effects of DN on AMI of quadriceps femoris in patients with ACLR.

Effectiveness of Dry Needling in Improving Pain and Function in Comparison with Other Techniques in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the short-, mid-, and long-term effectiveness of dry needling in improving pain and functional capacity of patients with chronic neck pain. Search strategy was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PEDro, and Cochrane Library Plus biomedical databases. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool. Randomised controlled clinical trials in which at least 1 of the groups received dry needling were included. 662 studies were found; 14 clinical trials were selected for qualitative analysis and 13 for quantitative analysis. The quality of most of the studies included was "high." All the studies reported improvements in cervical pain and/or disability, regardless of the protocol followed and the muscles targeted. No serious adverse effects were reported. Dry needling showed to be more effective when compared with other therapies in both women and men, without differences by sex. When the analysis was carried out by age, patients over 40 years old benefitted more than those below 40 years old. Our meta-analysis supports the use of dry needling to improve pain and functional capacity in patients with chronic neck pain at short- and mid-term intervals.

Trigger point dry needling increases masseter muscle oxygenation in patients with temporomandibular disorder.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is an umbrella term encompassing various clinical complaints involving the temporomandibular joints, masticatory muscles, and/or associated orofacial structures. Myogenous TMDs are the most frequent cause of chronic orofacial pain. Musculoskeletal pain is commonly associated with myofascial trigger points (MTPs), for which dry needling (DN) is a routine treatment. OBJECTIVE: To investigate muscle oxygenation and pain immediately after DN application on an MTP in the masseter muscle of patients with myogenous TMDs. METHODOLOGY: Masseter muscle oxygen tissue saturation indices (TSI%) were assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) pre- and post-interventions by a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover DN/Sham clinical trial (primary outcome). Pain was investigated by the visual analog scale (VAS). In total, 32 individuals aged from 18 to 37 years who were diagnosed with myogenous TMD and myofascial trigger points in their masseter muscles participated in this study. Relative deltas for the studied variables were calculated. Data normality was tested using the Shapiro-Wilk test. According to their distribution, data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and the Student's t-, and Mann-Whitney tests. Statistical analyses were performed using Prism® 5.0 (GraphPad, USA). RESULTS: We found a significant difference (2,108% vs. 0,142%) between masseter muscle TSI% deltas after the DN and Sham interventions, respectively (n=24). We only evaluated women since men refused to follow NIRS procedures. Pain increased immediately after DN (n=32, 8 men), in comparison to Sham delta VAS. CONCLUSION: These findings show an increase in tissue oxygen saturation in the evaluated sample immediately after the DN intervention on the MTP of patients' masseter muscle. Pain may have increased immediately after DN due to the needling procedure.

Manejo das disfunções temporomandibulares. Parte I: tratamento conservador / Management of temporomandibular joint disorders. Part I: conservative treatment

Objetivo: Apresentar as modalidades de tratamentos conservadoras e minimamente invasivas mais usadas disponíveis no arsenal terapêutico das desordens temporomandibulares (DTM). Revisão da literatura: Os objetivos do tratamento invariavelmente incluem redução da dor, diminuição das atividades parafuncionais e restauração da função. Dentre as alternativas conservadoras e minimamente invasivas, podemos citar os dispositivos interoclusais, exercícios terapêuticos, eletrofototermoterapia, agulhamento seco e infiltração de anestésicos locais em pontos gatilho, injeção de sangue autógeno para controle da luxação mandibular, terapia cognitivo comportamental, toxina botulínica, viscossuplementação, controle farmacológico da dor aguda e crônica. As DTMs afetam uma proporção significativa da população. Somente após o fracasso das opções não invasivas é que devem ser iniciados tratamentos mais invasivos e irreversíveis. No entanto, algumas condições, como a anquilose e neoplasias, por exemplo, são essencialmente tratadas cirurgicamente e tentativas de tratamentos conservadores podem trazer piora na qualidade de vida ou risco de morte. Considerações finais: Uma abordagem de equipe multidisciplinar para o manejo é essencial no cuidado fundamental de todos os pacientes com DTM, para que o tratamento possa ser especificamente adaptado às necessidades individuais do paciente.

Aim: To present the most widely used conservative and minimally invasive treatment modalities available in the therapeutic arsenal for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Literature review: Treatment goals invariably include pain reduction, reduction of parafunctional activities and restoration of function. Among the conservative and minimally invasive alternatives, we can mention interocclusal devices, therapeutic exercises, electrophototherapy, dry needling and infiltration of local anesthetics in trigger points, autogenous blood injection to control mandibular dislocation, cognitive behavioral therapy, botulinum toxin, viscosupplementation, pharmacological control of acute and chronic pain. TMD affects a considerable proportion of the population. Only after non-invasive options have failed should more invasive and irreversible treatments be initiated. However, some conditions, such as ankylosis and neoplasms, for example, are treated surgically and attempts at conservative treatments can lead to worsening quality of life or risk of death. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary team approach to management is essential in the fundamental care of all TMD patients, so that treatment can be specifically tailored to the patient's individual needs.

Comparing the effectiveness of prolotherapy and percutaneous dry needling in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Lateral epicondylitis (LE) can result in a functional loss in patients because of pain and has recently become more prevalent. This study compared the effects of minimally invasive prolotherapy (PRO) and percutaneous dry needling (PDN) on LE treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups; Group 1 included patients undergoing PDN, Group 2 included those undergoing PRO, and Group 3 included those undergoing PDN+PRO. All these treatments were administered three times and at a 3-week interval in each patient. Data on the visual analog scale (VAS) and patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) scale scores of the patients were collected at weeks 0, 3, and 6 and month 6 and retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The VAS and PRTEE scores decreased in all groups. The decrease in Group 3 was higher than that in the other groups (p<0.001). Upon evaluating within-group differences in VAS and PRTEE scores, the scores at week 3, week 6, and month 6 gradually decreased compared with the baseline in all groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PDN and PRO are minimally invasive and can successfully treat LE. A combination of PDN+PRO provides better results than PDN or PRO alone. As the materials we used in these treatments are relatively inexpensive and readily available, we believe our study will help reduce the national healthcare costs allocated for the treatment of LE.

Efficacy of percutaneous needle electrolysis versus dry needling in musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Physical therapists use dry needling (DN) and percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) to treat musculoskeletal pain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of PNE vs. DN in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was based on the PICOS and PRISMA protocols. The PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases were searched for randomized clinical trials measuring pain intensity in various musculoskeletal syndromes using PNE and DN. Pain outcome measures were the visual analog scale or the numerical pain rating scale. Risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane guidelines and quality of evidence was reported using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach (GRADE). Standardized mean differences were calculated using random effects models. RESULTS: The meta-analysis of the six included studies showed that the overall effect of PNE vs. DN for pain reduction was statistically significant at -0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.34 to -0.14) with a large effect size (SMD =-0.41; 95% CI, -0.75 to -0.08), albeit clinically insignificant in the short, medium, and long term. Risk of bias was generally low with moderate-level evidence due to the overall effect heterogeneity and the small sample. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-quality evidence showed that PNE is slightly more effective than DN in reducing pain. However, because the results were not clinically significant, we cannot recommend the application of PNE over DN. More high-quality studies comparing the two interventions are needed to draw firm conclusions.

Treadmill exercise post dry needling improves heel rise in patients recovering from surgical ankle fracture: A randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the effectiveness of the dry needling technique (DNT) plus exercise on motor function in musculoskeletal diseases. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of treadmill exercise immediately after DNT on pain, range of motion (ROM) and bilateral heel rise test in patients recovering from surgical ankle fracture. METHOD: A randomised, parallel-group, controlled trial was conducted on patients recovering from surgical ankle fracture. Patients received the DNT intervention for the triceps surae muscle. Then, participants were randomly assigned to the experimental (DNT plus incline treadmill for 20 min) or control group (DNT plus rest for 20 min). Baseline and immediate post-intervention assessments included: visual analogue scale (VAS), maximal ankle dorsiflexion ROM and bilateral heel rise test. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients recovering from surgical ankle fracture were included. Eleven patients were assigned to the experimental group (mean age 46 ± 12.6 years, 2/9 men/women) and nine to the control group (mean age 52 ± 13.4 years, 2/7 men/women). Two-way ANOVA showed a significant time × group interaction for bilateral heel rise test (F = 5.514, p = 0.030, ηp2 = 0.235). Both groups increased the number of repetitions (p < 0.001), however, the experimental group showed a significant difference compared to control group (mean difference: 2.73 repetitions; p = 0.030). There was no time × group interaction in VAS and ROM (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that treadmill exercise after dry needling improves plantar flexors motor function more than rest after dry needling in patients with surgical ankle fracture.

Creation of a risk of harms informed consent form for dry needling: A nominal group technique.

BACKGROUND: When consenting patients to dry needling treatment, it is necessary to inform patients of potential risks of harms. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify elements and framework for an Informed Consent (IC) risk of harm statement to improve patient decision-making. DESIGN: A virtual Nominal Group Technique (vNGT) methodology was used to achieve consensus among participants to identify what needs to be on a consent form, how it should be framed, and what it should state so patients understand the true risks. METHODS: Eligible participants were identified as one of four groups: legal expert, policy expert, dry needling expert, or patient. The vNGT session consisted of 5 rounds of idea generation and final consensus voting which lasted for 2 h. RESULTS: Five individuals consented to participate. Of the 27 original ideas, 22 reached consensus including ones specifically related to a risk of harms statement: identifying risks and discomforts, identify different sensations, and using a classification to order risks by severity. Consensus was achieved with percent agreement of ≥ 80%. The constructed risk of harm statement had a reading level of grade 7 and provided a list of stratified risks associated with dry needling. CONCLUSION: The generated risk of harm statement can be incorporated on IC forms that require disclosure of risks in both the clinical and research setting. Additionally, further elements were identified by panel participants about defining the framework for an IC form outside of the risk of harm statement. GOV REGISTRATION: NCT05560100 (29/09/22).