The Effects of Dry-Needling Therapy on the Quality of Life in Athletes with Myofascial Pain Syndrome: Repeated Measures Design Study.

This study aims to investigate the effects of dry-needling treatment on the quality of life in athletes with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). The participants included in the study were 50 athletes (38 males and 12 females) diagnosed with MPS. The treatments were carried out in four sessions, 5/7 days apart on 55 muscles in total. A 36-item health survey (SF-36) was implemented to determine the participants' quality of life. The chi-square test was used to determine the differences between measurements. Dry-needling treatment has a positive influence on self-perspective of physical functioning ( = 0.011, on average), physical problems ( = 0.001, on average), emotional problems ( = 0.004, on average), social functioning ( = 0.001, on average), pain ( = 0.001, on average), and mental health and vitality ( = 0.001, on average) in athletes with MPS. The only quality-of-life dimension not influenced by the dry-needling treatment is the general health perception ( = 0.340, on average). Dry-needling therapy has positive effects on the perception of quality of life in athletes with MPS.