Ultrasound-guided drug injection combined with mini-needle knife therapy for acute lumbar sprain: a prospective interventional study.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided local anesthetic injection combined with myofascial trigger point mini-needle knife therapy for acute lumbar sprain management.

Methods: In this prospective study, 60 patients (January-July 2024) received ultrasound-guided injections at the third lumbar (L3) transverse process attachment and posterior medial spinal nerve branch, combined with miniscalpel-needle release of MTrPs. Visual analog scale (VAS), modified Oswestry disability index (MODI), and lumbar range of motion (ROM) were assessed pre-treatment and on days 3 and 7 post-treatment.

Results: VAS scores, modified ODI scores, and ROM scores on days 3 and 7 post-treatment were significantly reduced compared to baseline (all P < 0.001). Further pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant improvements in VAS scores (MD - 1.25; 98.33% CI - 1.50 to - 0.75; P < 0.001) and modified ODI scores (MD - 2.50; 98.33% CI - 3.00 to - 2.00; P < 0.001) from day 3 to day 5. However, no significant change in ROM scores was observed between days 3 and 7, indicating rapid stabilization of mobility metrics.

Conclusions: The integration of ultrasound-guided anesthesia and miniscalpel-needle therapy provides rapid pain relief, functional recovery, and mobility restoration in acute lumbar sprain. This multimodal approach demonstrates clinical efficacy with minimized invasiveness, aligning with evidence supporting ultrasound-guided precision and MTrP-targeted interventions.