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Roghangar N, Adigozali H, Salahzadeh Z, Momenzadeh A, Arab A M, Hosseinifar M. Iliopsoas Dry Needling for Non-specific Low Back Pain: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. PTJ 2026; 16 (3) :295-306
URL: http://ptj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-699-en.html

Purpose: Non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal dysfunction. The development of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the lumbopelvic muscles can exacerbate the symptoms in patients with CLBP, and the release of the iliopsoas muscle is often overlooked by clinicians. Dry needling (DN) may be beneficial for the release of MTrPs. Due to the scarcity of evidence on this issue, this study protocol aims to examine the impact of iliopsoas DN on pain severity and clinical symptoms in patients with CLBP. 
Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial will be conducted, including 40 patients with CLBP aged 35-60 years, assigned to control and intervention groups in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups will receive 10 sessions of conventional physiotherapy, with the intervention group also receiving iliopsoas DN. The primary hypothesis is that the treatment provided to the intervention group will lead to a more significant improvement in pain intensity than in the control group. The primary outcomes are low back pain intensity and pain intensity of the MTrP in the iliopsoas muscle. Secondary outcome measures will be pain pressure threshold (PPT0, functional disability, and anxiety and depression scale. Data will be collected at baseline and after the completion of the treatment procedure.
Results: Data analysis will compare baseline and post-treatment measures between the two groups. Statistical comparisons are expected to reveal a greater decrease in both general low back pain intensity and pain intensity of the MTrP in the iliopsoas muscle in the intervention group. Furthermore, we anticipate a significant difference between the groups in terms of increased pain pressure threshold, improved functional ability, and reduced psychological distress, favoring the combined therapy.
Conclusion: To help improve decisions about managing symptoms related to CLBP, this study will evaluate the effects of iliopsoas DN and physiotherapy, compared with physiotherapy alone, on symptoms in patients with CLBP. DN could be presented as an adjunct treatment for such patients, provided that the deactivation of MTrPs in the iliopsoas muscle using DN would have a beneficial impact.