A Comparative Study of Two Dry Needling Interventions for Plantar Heel Pain
Plantar Fascitis, Myofacial Pain Syndromes, Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Plantar Fascitis
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Clinical diagnosis of PHP in accordance with the Clinical Guidelines linked to the International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health from the Orthopedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association
- Age greater than 21 years according to the Kuwaiti law.
- History of plantar heel pain for greater than one month.
- Walking 50 meters without any support
- Having MTPs on initial physical examination on plantar and calf muscles
- Accepting to be treated by a male physiotherapist.
- Capacity to understand the study and the informed consent, as well as having signed the document.
Exclusion Criteria:
- - Needle phobia
- Allergy from needles or hypersensitivity to metals
- Presence of coagulopathy or use of anticoagulants
- Presence of peripheral arterial vascular disease
- Pregnancy
- Dermatological disease with the dry needling area
- The presence of a chronic medical condition that might preclude participation in the study such as malignancy, systemic inflammatory disorders (e.g. psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, septic arthritis), neurological diseases, polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy.
- Treatment of plantar heel pain with needling or acupuncture during last 4 weeks.
- A history of injection therapy in the heel in the previous three months.
- Previous history of foot surgery or fracture.
Sites / Locations
- Physical Medicine and rehabilitation Kuwait
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Dry needling (DN) arm
Percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) arm
Once the clinician locates the MTrP, he will insert the needle over it and he will do a quick entry of the needle. The chosen technique to manipulate the needle will be Hong technique, which consist of quick entry and exit of the needle (fast in/fast out) to get local twitch response (LTR), it will be repeated 5 times with a rhythmic movement of 1Hz/sec. LTRs will be counted and registered.
The electrotherapy equipment used (Enraf) produces a continuous galvanic current through the cathode (modified electrosurgical scalpel with the needle) while the patient holds the anode (handheld electrode). Once the needle have reach the relevant treatment area, a continuous current of 3 pulses at an intensity of 3, 1.5 mA for 5 seconds conveyed to the muscle will be applied. It will be done exactly the same way as in the DN group with the only difference that the needle will be transmitting the electrical current.