Dry needling of the flexor digitorum brevis muscle reduces postural control in standing: A pre-post stabilometric study

There are studies that show the better balance after dry needling in lumbar pain. However, the postural control effects after foot dry needling are unknown. Check if dry needling changes postural control. Eighteen subjects with flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle Myofascial trigger point were evaluated pre- and post-deep dry needling. We measured stabilometric variables in a pre-post study. We have found significant differences in three stabilometric variables: surface with eyes closed (29.36-53.21 mm(2)) (p = 0.000), medium speed of the laterolateral displacement with eyes closed (1.42-1.64 mm/s) (p = 0.004), and medium speed of the anteroposterior displacement with eyes closed (1.30-1.53 mm/s) (p = 0.025). Dry needling therapy application in FDB muscle reduces standing postural control with eyes closed.

Automated summary

This study shows that dry needling therapy in the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle can improve postural control in patients with lumbar pain. The researchers measured stabilometric variables before and after deep dry needling and found significant changes in three variables: surface with eyes closed, medium speed of laterolateral displacement with eyes closed, and medium speed of anteroposterior displacement with eyes closed. Dry needling therapy in the FDB muscle reduces standing postural control with eyes closed.