Evaluation of Dry Needling Therapy in Chronic Lumbosacral Pain

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dry needling (DNT) as an adjunctive therapy in reducing pain, improving function, and quality of life in patients with chronic lumbosacral pain. Material and methods: A total of 35 patients with chronic lumbosacral pain (LSP), radiating along the sciatic nerve, and with impaired sensorimotor function were studied, divided into two groups: Group K – control (n=15, 9 men and 6 women) and Group E – experimental (n=20, 11 men and 9 women). All patients were treated with classical therapeutic massage of the lumbosacral region and a complex of physical exercises, and those from Group E additionally by placing dry needles in the most painful muscle trigger points (TP) and along the sciatic nerve. To assess the effect of physiotherapy, all subjects were examined before and after treatment about: pain intensity on a visual analog scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM) by goniometry, and muscle strength in hip flexion and extension by dynamometry, and the overall subjective assessment by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). Results: All patients improved significantly but those from the experimental group more pronounced regarding: pain intensity by 1.12 points on the VAS; ROM in the hip joint goniometrically by 9.02 degrees in flexion and by 3.5 degrees in extension; and the overall subjective assessment of the therapeutic course by RMDQ; but not significantly for leg muscle strength in hip joint. Conclusion: Both therapeutic approaches reliably reduce pain and improve mobility in patients with chronic lumbosacral pain syndrome, but the additional application of DNT to classical therapeutic massage and physical exercises to increase leg muscle strength significantly enhances the effect of the standard intervention and reliably increases the therapeutic effect by significantly reducing pain symptoms, increasing mobility and functionality of the lower back and limb.