Dry needling versus ischemic compression in treatment of lower back myofascial pain syndrome / Amr Moustafa Yehia Mohammed ; Supervised Lilian Albert Zaky , Osama Ragaa Abdelraouf , Ghada Mohamed Rashad

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background: Myofascial pain syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms in a particular area of the body that indicate muscle trauma. This problem causes pain leads to spasm which is thought to decrease blood flow which in turn causes recurring cycle of spasm, and the cycle continues. Purpose: The aim of study was to compare between the effects of dry needling and ischemic compression in treatment of Myofascial low back pain. Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients participated in the study and were assigned randomly into two equal groups suffering from Myofascial low back pain with the presence of trigger points of quadratus lumborum, iliocostalis lumborum, piriformis and gluteus medius muscles. The first group (A) consisted of 15 patients receiving ischemic compression over trigger points followed by stretching exercise, the second group (B) consisted of 15 patients receiving dry needling over the same trigger points followed by stretching exercise. Their age ranged from 18 - 43 years. Assessment measures: Pain severity was measured by visual analogue scale, functional diability using Oswestry disability questionnaire, trunk range of motion (flexion, extension, right side bending and left side bending) using tape measurement and pain threshold using pressure algometer. All these parameters were measured before and after 2 weeks of treatment. Results: Both groups showed a significant improvement (P-value <0.05) in all evaluated measures except in lumbar flexion and extension there was no improvement, there was no significant difference between both groups at pre and post treatment (p>0.05)

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