This review aims to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment technique with standard care and investigate the role of acupuncture as a treatment option for patients with cLB. Since there is an ongoing debate regarding the adoption of its use and incorporation in clinical guidelines and healthcare systems the findings of this study will be useful
A systematic search of the literature was conducted from Inception to May 2024 in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, PEDro, and Cochrane Library databases. The PICO model was used to determin the strategy of the literature review and two reviewers independently screened the selected studies that had to follow specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Discrepancies were resolved by a third investigator.The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated by using the PEDro scale for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
The systematic literature search yielded a total of 2,926 publications, from which 9 RCTs involving 1,816 participants were ultimately included in this review. All selected studies utilized acupuncture as a standalone treatment modality for patients with chronic low back pain, comparing its efficacy against usual care interventions, which encompassed exercise, physiotherapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), massage, and injections aimed at symptom relief. Despite variability in treatment duration, number of sessions, and specific acupuncture protocols across the included RCTs, the majority of studies reported statistically significant improvements in key outcome measures, including pain intensity, functional disability, fear avoidance, and quality of life. These benefits were observed in both the short and long term following the therapeutic interventions, indicating that acupuncture may offer superior outcomes compared to conventional care for individuals suffering from cLBP
Acupuncture technique compared to usual care is considered effective in reducing pain and functional disability and improving quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain when applied as monotherapy. It is important to be mentioned that there was high heterogeneity among the studies. As a result, it is necessary to be published more and better methodological quality RCTs with common therapeutic protocols in order to draw more reliable conclusions about the short and long term effectiveness of the acupuncture compared to usual care.
This systematic review provides evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing chronic low back pain. Its implications extend across various domains of physiotherapy, emphasizing the need for integration into practice, management strategies, educational curricula, and healthcare policies. Future research should focus on addressing the identified heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes to strengthen the evidence base for acupuncture as a viable treatment option for cLBP.
Systematic Review
Chronic Low Back Pain
