Adding myofascial trigger point-targeted dry needling to conventional acupuncture does not significantly enhance pain and function response in early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis.
In this randomized, single-center trial, the researchers examined the effects of adding myofascial trigger point (MTrP)-targeted dry needling to conventional acupuncture in adults with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 106 participants were split evenly into two groups: one received conventional acupuncture alone, while the other had the same regimen plus three personalized MTrP-targeted insertions. Both groups underwent a series of 10 sessions over two weeks, with the main area of focus being a composite responder rate (a certain reduction in pain and improvement in function).
The data collected from 97 participants was analyzed to determine the efficacy of MTrP-targeted dry needling. At the end of the two weeks, a slightly larger percentage of patients in the MTrP-augmented group were responders compared to those who received conventional treatment. Additional 'exploratory' analyses indicated that the addition of MTrP-targeted dry needling could potentially enhance reductions in pain level and improvements in function. However, patients who received the addition of dry needling experienced higher discomfort during the procedure and deemed it less acceptable. The study reported no serious adverse events or unrelated withdrawals.
