The Effects of Dry Needling As a Novel Recovery Strategy on Quadriceps Muscle Fatigue: A Pilot Study

Background: Dry Needling (DN) is a procedure to treat neuromusculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to examine the effects of DN on quadriceps muscle fatigue in healthy young adults.Methods: Fifteen healthy young subjects (13 male, 2 female; mean±standard deviation 26.1±5.9 years) participated in a pretest-posttest study. Subjects received one session of DN for a total of 3 minutes with one minute each for the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris muscles. The Isometric Peak Torque (IPT), Single Leg Hop (SLH) test, and Y Balance Test (YBT) were measured at baseline, immediately after completion of the fatigue protocol, and after DN.Results: Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant improvements in the IPT, SLH, and YBT scores after DN. Effects sizes were medium for IPT (d =0.61) and SLH test (d=0.57), and large for YBT (d=0.7).Conclusion: Dry needling had a significant effect on recovery of quadriceps muscle fatigue, functional performance, and dynamic balance. These findings suggest that DN can be utilized as a novel recovery strategy to manage muscle fatigue. Further research is warranted.