2026 SICOT Annual Meeting: Effectiveness of dry needling as an adjunct to exercise therapy for pain and functional outcomes in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 453 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing dry needling (DN) plus exercise therapy with exercise alone. Pooled outcomes included pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain, stiffness and function, neuropathic pain, and pain catastrophizing. DN plus exercise produced greater pain relief and improvements in WOMAC outcomes at 3 months, with benefits in several outcomes persisting to 12 months. Overall, adding DN to exercise may provide clinically meaningful improvements in pain and function beyond exercise therapy alone.