ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the clinical effect of ultrasound-guided dry needling of myofascial trigger points in treatment of plantar fasciitis. Methods: Totally 48 patients with plantar fasciitis were randomly divided into 2 groups. Patients in the simple treatment group (n=24) received sole non-weight-bearing plantar fascia stretching training, and the ones in the combined treatment group (n=24) received ultrasound-guided dry needling for myofascial trigger points combined with stretching training. The numeric pain-rating scale (NPRS) of the first move, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hindfoot Score (AOFAS), physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of 36-item short-form health survey were evaluated before (T0) as well as 1 month (T1) and 3 months (T2) after treatment respectively. Results: The overall differences of NPRS, AOFAS, PCS and MCS were significant before and after treatment in both two groups (all P0.05). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided dry needling for myofascial trigger points combined with stretching training and sole non-weight-bearing plantar fascia stretching training are both effective for treatment of plantar fasciitis, while the former is better for relieving pain and improving ankle function.