Objective: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy (CP) children by stimulating acupoints selected according to the day to match the heavenly stems and earthly branches (Ziwu Liu-zhu Najia Zhenfa).
Methods: A total of 130 CP patients were randomized into a control group and a treatment group (n=65 in each). Both groups were given with routine rehabilitation therapy, while the treatment group additionally received 3 months' acupuncture intervention. All patients were assessed before and after treatment with gross motor function measure (GMFM-88), mo-dified Ashworth scale (MAS) and activities of daily living (ADL) in cerebral palsy.
Results: After the treatment, the control group scored (25.12±2.74) points in GMFM-88, (1.53±0.71) points in MAS, (19.25±5.08) points in ADL, while the treatment group were respectively (31.87±2.58) points in GMFM-88, (1.07±0.74) points in MAS, (25.67±6.15) points in ADL. Both groups experienced significant improvement in increasing GMFM-88 and ADL scores, and reducing MAS score compared to those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the effects of the treatment group were evidently superior to those of the control group in increasing GMFM-88 and ADL scores, and reducing MAS score (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The "Ziwu Liuzhu Najia Zhenfa" acupuncture achieved greater improvement in gross motor function and reduction in muscular tone and enhancement of capacity of daily living activity.