Blind Needling Accuracy in Lumbar Muscles

The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of blinded invasive interventions (dry needling) on the deep paraspinal muscles of the lumbar region (iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, and multifidus) to reach the anatomical target. The accuracy of the interventions will be evaluated observationally with ultrasonography after the procedure.

Not Yet Recruiting

Trial opening soon.

Get Notified

Key information

Conditions

Dry Needling Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

*Method:*

All interventions will be performed by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with clinical experience.
After each intervention, the needle tip position will be evaluated by a second specialist with *high-resolution linear probe ultrasound*.
Targeted muscles:
*Iliocostalis lumborum (ICL)*
*Longissimus thoracis (LT)*
*Multifidus (M)*
Interventions will be performed from the right side, between the L2-L5 levels.
A total of *three different dry needling applications* will be performed for these three muscles for each participant.
When a total of *20 participants* is planned, *60 injection attempts* will be analyzed.
Will be used only for post-hoc observational validation purposes.
No pharmacological agent will be administered during the intervention, only dry needling will be performed.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Adults aged 18-65

Individuals with nonspecific low back or back pain and planned physical therapy
Individuals with suspected MPS, especially in the paraspinal muscles
Individuals with indications for dry needling
Those who can cooperate with the procedure and give written consent

Exclusion criteria

* Anticoagulant use

History of spine surgery, deformity, severe scoliosis
Regional skin lesion or infection
Patients who cannot cooperate
Pregnancy
Serious systemic diseases such as malignancy or neurological disease

Treatment and study plan

"Anatomical Accuracy of Blind Dry Needling Procedures on the Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles: An Ultrasonography-Assisted Observational Study"

Procedure

All interventions will be performed by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with clinical experience.
Targeted muscles:
*Iliocostalis lumborum (ICL)*
*Longissimus thoracis (LT)*
*Multifidus (M)*
Interventions will be performed from the right side, between the L2-L5 levels.
A total of *three different dry needling applications* will be performed for these three muscles for each participant.

Primary outcomes

"Anatomical Accuracy of Blind Dry Needling Procedures on the Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles: An Ultrasonography-Assisted Observational Study"

Time frame: 2 week

Correct placement rates will be calculated for each muscle. The agreement between the ultrasound and verification results of the blinded applications will be evaluated with Kappa statistics. Chi-square test or McNemar test will be used for differences between muscles.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

nurmuhammet tas, dr.

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905323380237

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Erzurum Regional Training & Research Hospital

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Anatomical Accuracy of Blind Dry Needling Procedures on the Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles: An Ultrasonography-Assisted Observational Study

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jul 20, 2025
Registry last updated: Sep 19, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.