Chronic Myofascial Low Back PainNCT07685340
Dry Dynamic Cupping vs Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization for Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
A study testing Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and dry cupping in people with Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain, run by Ibadat International University, Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This study aims to compare the effects of Dry Dynamic Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) in patients with chronic myofascial low back pain. The interventions will be evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing pain, improving functional disability, and enhancing quality of life. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 to 45 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and dry cupping
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 48 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2026to 1 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 to 45 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Chronic Myofascial Lower Back Pain > 3 months
- Pain reproduced by palpation of Lumbar Para-Spinals, Quadratus Lumborum (QL) or Thoracolumbar Fascia.
- Trigger Points will be diagnosed through Simons and Travell's Criteria
- Age 25-45 years (young adults according to WHO classification)
- Both genders
Who cannot join
- History of spinal surgery
- Presence of inflammatory or neurological disorders
- Facet joint dysfunction
- Discogenic pain
- Ligamentous pain
- Pregnant females
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Mediplex Healthcare Center, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, 46000
About this study
Official title: Comparative Effects of Dry Dynamic Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization in Patients With Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
This study aims to compare the effects of Dry Dynamic Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) in patients with chronic myofascial low back pain. The interventions will be evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing pain, improving functional disability, and enhancing quality of life. The findings may help identify a more effective treatment approach for managing chronic myofascial low back pain.
- Conditions
- Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), dry cupping
- Keywords
- chronic, myofascial, back pain, low back, low back pain, backache
- Medical subject headings
- Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome, Back Pain, Low Back Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)Other
Participants in this group will receive Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion.
dry cuppingOther
Participants in this group will receive Dry Dynamic Cupping therapy. The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Dry dynamic cupping group | Active comparator | Participants in this group will receive Dry Dynamic Cupping therapy. The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. Receives: Other: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM); Other: dry cupping |
| IASTM Group | Placebo comparator | Participants in this group will receive Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. Receives: Other: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM); Other: dry cupping |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
NPRS
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Changes in pain scores will be compared between the Dry Dynamic Cupping and IASTM groups.
Measured: Baseline and 2 Weeks Post-Intervention
Secondary outcomes (1)
ODI
Functional disability related to low back pain will be assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Changes in disability scores will be compared between groups.
Measured: Baseline and 2 Weeks Post-Intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Jul 2026
- Study start1 Jan 2026
- Primary completion15 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic Myofascial Low Back PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 48 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ibadat International University, Islamabad
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- MUHAMMAD ASHAR RAFI, DPT, MS-NMPT, Principal investigator, IBADAT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07685340
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IIUI/RERC/ADT/226
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparative Effects of Dry Dynamic Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization in Patients With Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07685340
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IIUI/RERC/ADT/226
- Conditions
- Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain
- Keywords
- chronic, myofascial, back pain, low back, low back pain, backache
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 48 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Ibadat International University, IslamabadUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to compare the effects of Dry Dynamic Cupping and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) in patients with chronic myofascial low back pain. The interventions will be evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing pain, improving functional disability, and enhancing quality of life. The findings may help identify a more effective treatment approach for managing chronic myofascial low back pain.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Dry dynamic cupping group | Active comparator | Other: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), Other: dry cuppingParticipants in this group will receive Dry Dynamic Cupping therapy. The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. |
| IASTM Group | Placebo comparator | Other: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), Other: dry cuppingParticipants in this group will receive Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Chronic Myofascial Lower Back Pain > 3 months
- Pain reproduced by palpation of Lumbar Para-Spinals, Quadratus Lumborum (QL) or Thoracolumbar Fascia.
- Trigger Points will be diagnosed through Simons and Travell's Criteria
- Age 25-45 years (young adults according to WHO classification)
- Both genders
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- History of spinal surgery
- Presence of inflammatory or neurological disorders
- Facet joint dysfunction
- Discogenic pain
- Ligamentous pain
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)Participants in this group will receive Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM). The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. | Other | Dry dynamic cupping group, IASTM Group |
| dry cuppingParticipants in this group will receive Dry Dynamic Cupping therapy. The intervention will be administered for 2 weeks, with 3 treatment sessions per week, according to the standardized study protocol. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated on pain intensity, functional disability, and lumbar range of motion. | Other | Dry dynamic cupping group, IASTM Group |
Primary outcome
NPRS
Time frame: Baseline and 2 Weeks Post-Intervention
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Changes in pain scores will be compared between the Dry Dynamic Cupping and IASTM groups.
1 secondary outcome
ODI
Time frame: Baseline and 2 Weeks Post-Intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Jul 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
MUHAMMAD ASHAR RAFI, DPT, MS-NMPT principal investigator
IBADAT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and dry cupping in people with Chronic Myofascial Low Back Pain, run by Ibadat International University, Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact MUHAMMAD ASHAR RAFI, DPT, MS-NMPT (0092-308-3407837, ashar.rafi@uipt.iiui.edu.pk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
NPRS (time frame: Baseline and 2 Weeks Post-Intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Jul 2026.