Neuroscience education in addition to trigger point dry needling for the management of patients with mechanical chronic low back pain: A preliminary clinical trial

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12 patients diagnosed with low back pain (LBP) and active trigger points were randomized to either trigger point dry needling (TrP-DN) with or without the addition of neuroscience education sessions (EDU). Intervention was provided over 3 weeks, with follow-up of outcomes of pain, disability, kinesiophobia, and pressure pain threshold performed at 1 week post-intervention. Results demonstrated no significant differences between groups in the degree of improvement of pain or disability outcomes. The TrP-DN+EDU group demonstrated significantly greater reduction in the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia compared to the TrP-DN alone group. The TrP-DN+EDU also demonstrated significantly greater increase in PPT at the L3 transverse process compared to the TrP-DN alone group, but not at any other site evaluated.