• Ansari M
• Mahdavi SB
• Vahdatpour B
• Lahijanian A
• Khosrawi S

• Affiliation / Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease. Child Growth and Development Research Center. Student Research Committee
• Affiliation / Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. School of Medicine. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Affiliation(G) / Iran / Isfahan
• Dry Needling
• Low-Level Light Therapy
• Myofascial Pain Syndromes
• Open Access Document
• Superficial Back Muscles
• Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of low-power laser therapy, dry needling, and exercise therapy on treating patients with neck and back pain and a diagnosis of the myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle.

Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in Isfahan, Iran, in 2019. The study sample (78 participants) was randomly allocated to 3 groups of 26, including stretching exercises (3 times a day for 2 weeks, control group), low-power laser (3 sessions for 2 weeks, 6 J/cm2, mean power of 100 MW in each point), and dry needling (4 sessions, with 25 × 0.25-mm needles). For all patients, the visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and shoulder pain and disability index (SPDI) were completed at baseline, immediately, and 1 month after treatment.

Results: Final participants in this study (n = 60) consisted of 33 (55%) female patients and 27 (45%) male patients, with a mean age of 51.25 ± 7.94 years. In the exercise group, VAS, NDI, and SPDI scores were not remarkably different in the studied periods (P > .05). Moreover, a notable decrease in VAS, NDI, and SPDI scores were observed in the treatment intervals. However, by excluding the effect of the control group, no substantial difference was observed between the 2 treatments (P > .05).

Conclusion: The use of laser therapy and dry needling methods induced a rapid response to pain relief. There was no difference between the 2 forms of treatment in the short term.

Author Keywords:  Dry Needling; Low-Level Light Therapy; Superficial Back Muscles; Myofascial Pain Syndromes

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