Long‑term effect of dry needling on rectus femoris in reducing anterior knee pain and improving functional activities – A 1-year case report

Abstract

Rectus femoris is a biarticular muscle so during walking it acts as a hip flexor and knee extensor simultaneously its important role is controlling the swing phase gait. Reducing rectus femoris activity may produce an increased knee flexion and inappropriate foot ground and increased activity reduces knee flexion and hinders foot clearance. Dry needling is the use of a thin monofilament needle inserted into the muscle which releases endogenous opioids which is a mechanism of pain suppression it also helps to decrease muscle tightness and increase blood flow to the muscle significantly. We reported a typical case of anterior knee pain, in a 39‑year‑old male with severe activity limitation and intense pain in the anterior knee during stair climbing. Pain and activity limitation in terms of disability were assessed on the 1st day of outpatient department. Two days of dry needling were given and posttest scores of pain and activity limitation were again taken on the 2nd day, 1 month, and after 1 year. After 2 days of intervention, the pain score measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) reduced from 8 to 5 and after 1 month the pain score was 0. Similarly, the KUJALA SCORING QUESTIONNAIRE showed improvement in functional activity, after 2 days of intervention the activities improved from 52 to 56, and after 1‑month functional score was 100. A follow‑up was taken after a year which presented VAS to be 0 and KUJALA SCORING QUESTIONNAIRE to be 100. The results of this study found the long‑term effect of dry needling helps to reduce anterior knee pain and improve functional capacity which suggests dry needling on rectus femoris is a better treatment option effects can last for a long period for patients with anterior knee pain and functional limitation.