ABSTRACT
Objectives
To assess needle placement accuracy in the rectus abdominis (RA) muscle during dry needling (DN) without entering the peritoneum.
Methods
Two physical therapists performed DN on a cadaver, making 10 attempts each to needle the RA without entering the peritoneum. Techniques followed two common DN approaches. Ultrasound verified needle depth and safety.
Results
Seventy percent of attempts were recorded as safe needle placement, while 30% were unsafe. Accurate RA needle placement without peritoneal entry occurred in 55% of attempts.
Discussion/Conclusion
Inadvertent peritoneal needle placement during RA DN poses risks regardless of experience. Ultrasound guidance may enhance safety and precision in clinical practice.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr. Stacey Lindsley for her contributions to the data curation of this study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Supplementary material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2024.2355007.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Ryan C. McConnell
Ryan C. McConnell – Guarantor: Conception and design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of data, article draft, revising it critically for important intellectual content, final approval of the version to be published.
Christi L. Williams
Christi L. Williams – Initiating the study, data collection, analysis and interpretation of data, assisting with article draft, revising it critically for important intellectual content.
Christian R. Falyar
Christian R. Falyar - Data collection, analysis and interpretation of data, revising it critically for important intellectual content.
All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.