Dry needling in patients with chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis: A single-blinded randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
This study examined the effects of dry needling on chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis.


METHODS
During this single-blinded clinical trial, 20 eligible patients were randomized into two groups: A case group treated with dry needling and a control group. Patients' plantar pain severity, (using modified visual analog scale [VAS] scoring system), range of motion of ankle joint in dorsiflexion [ROMDF] and plantar extension[ROMPE] and foot function index (using standard questionnaires of SEM5 and MDC7) were assessed at baseline, four weeks after intervention and four weeks after withdrawing treatment. Independent sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and chi square test were used for data analysis.


RESULTS
The mean VAS scores in the case group was significantly lower than the control group after four weeks of intervention (p<0.001). Comparison of the ROMDF and ROMPE did not reveal any significant changes after four weeks of intervention in the case and control groups (p=0.7 and p=0.65, respectively). The mean of MDC7 and SEM5 scores in the case group were significantly lower than the control group following four weeks of intervention (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the insignificant effect on ROMDF and ROMPE, trigger point dry needling, by improving the severity of heel pain, can be used as a good alternative option before proceeding to more invasive therapies of plantar fasciitis.
MD, Associate Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. binasadat@yahoo.com.
Bina
B
Eftekharsadat
MD, Assistant Professor, Neuromusculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. arashbabaie@gmail.com.
Arash
A
Babaei-Ghazani
MD, General Physician, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. vahide.abediny@gmail.com.
Vahideh
V
Zeinolabedinzadeh
Chronic heel pain; Dry needling; Myofascial trigger points; Plantar fasciitis
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