Effects of dry needling on tendon-pulley architecture, pain and hand function in patients with trigger finger: a randomized controlled trial study

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dry needling on tendon-pulley architecture, pain and hand function in patients with trigger finger. [Participants and Methods] A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Fifty eight patients having trigger finger were randomly assigned as either an experimental group that received a single session of dry needling over pulleyA1 and flexor tendon or a control group that received no intervention. Thickness of tendon-pulley, and pain-hand function (by disability arm-shoulder questionnaire score and pinch grip strength) were measured by a blinded assessor before and one week after intervention. [Results] The two way mixed ANOVA in the experimental group showed that the thickness of pulley-tendon decreased, pinch grip power increased and DASH questionnaire score was decreased in comparison to the control group. [Conclusion] This study results suggest that a single session of Dry Needling (DN) was effective in decreasing pain, DASH score, pulley-tendon thickness and improving pinch grip power in patients with trigger finger.