Is Dry Needling Effective for the Management of Plantar Heel Pain or Plantar Fasciitis? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Llurda-Almuzara L, Labata-Lezaun N, Meca-Rivera T, Navarro-Santana MJ, Cleland JA, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Pérez-Bellmunt A · Pain Medicine · 2021 March 24

DOI 10.1093/pm/pnab114

Objective

This meta-analysis evaluated the effects of dry needling over trigger points associated with plantar heel pain on pain intensity and related disability or function.

Conclusions

Moderate- to low-quality evidence suggests a positive effect of trigger point dry needling for improving pain intensity and pain-related disability in the short term and long term, respectively, in patients with plantar heel pain of musculoskeletal origin. The present results should be considered with caution because of the small number of trials.

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