Trigger Point Dry Needling, Manual Therapy and Exercise for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial (nsuworks.nova.edu)

• Dry needling plus manual therapy and exercise superior to exercise alone for Achilles tendinopathy.
• Significant improvements in VAS pain and VISA-A function scores at 4 and 12 weeks.
• Protocol: twice-weekly needling of active trigger points in gastrocnemius and soleus.

"A randomized controlled trial compared trigger point dry needling plus manual therapy and exercise versus exercise alone for chronic Achilles tendinopathy. The dry needling group showed significantly greater pain reduction and functional improvement at 4 and 12 weeks as measured by VAS and VISA-A. Protocol involved needling active trigger points in gastrocnemius and soleus twice weekly for four weeks."