My PhD commenced on the 4th of February 2009. At this stage I am aiming to have my thesis completed by early 2012 (i can hear many people whispering ‘wishful thinking’). In the first six months of my PhD I spent most of my time undertaking a systematic review of the literature which examined the evidence for the effectiveness of trigger point dry needling and injections for plantar fasciitis.
Three non-randomised trials were included in the systematic review. Two studies found a statistically significant reduction in pain for the use of trigger point dry needling when combined with acupuncture. In the third study a statistically significant reduction in pain was found using 1% lidocaine injections combined with physical therapy when compared to standard physical therapy alone. However, all three studies were of poor methodological quality.
The poor quality and heterogeneous nature of the studies included in the systematic review, combined with the inadequate description of the criteria used to identify a myofascial trigger point, limited the conclusions we could make regarding the effectiveness of trigger point dry needling and injections for plantar fasciitis. As such, it is unclear if trigger point dry needling is an effective intervention for plantar fasciitis. It is therefore justified for us to further investigate the effectiveness of dry needling for plantar fasciitis.
In order for us to assess the effectiveness of dry needling for plantar fasciitis a consensus is required to establish the best protocol. Over the past six months we have surveyed experts worldwide that use dry needling for plantar fasciitis and asked them to provide us with details of their treatment rationale, dry needling details and treatment schedule that they would most commonly use. The survey is almost complete and a consensus will hopefully be established.
At this stage we are hoping to commence a trial to assess the effectiveness of dry needling for plantar fasciitis later this year. Stay posted!
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