Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect on post-stroke strephenopodia treated with jiaotong qiaomai (harmonizing the heel vessel) needling technique of acupuncture.
Methods: A total of 64 patients were randomized into an observation group (30 cases included, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (30 cases included, 2 cases dropped off). In the control group, the routine needling technique of acupuncture and rehabilitation exercise were provided. In the observation group, on the base of the therapeutic regimen as the control group, the jiaotong qiaomai needling technique of acupuncture was added. Fengchi (GB 20), Rangu (KI 2), Zhaohai (KI 6) on the affected side and Fengfu (GV 16) were selected. The treatment was given once daily, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks totally in either group. Separately, before treatment, in 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment, the strephenopodia angle was measured and Holden functional ambulation classification (FAC) was evaluated in the patients. Additionally, before treatment and in 4 weeks of treatment, the muscle-skeleton ultrasound was adopted to measure the thickness of anterior tibia muscle and posterior tibia muscle in the resting state of the patients.
Results: The strephenopodia angle and Holden FAC were all improved after 4-week treatment in the two groups as compared with those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the results in the observation group were better than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Before treatment, the thickness of anterior tibia muscle and posterior tibia muscle on the healthy side was higher than that on the affected side in the patients of the two groups (P<0.05). After treatment, the thickness of anterior tibia muscle and posterior tibia muscle on the affected side was increased as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The thickness on the healthy side was similar before and after treatment in the observation group (P>0.05), and it was increased on the healthy side after treatment as compared with that before treatment in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the thickness of anterior tibia muscle and posterior tibia muscle on the affected side was similar to that on the healthy side in the two groups (P>0.05), and the thickness on the affected side in the observation group was higher than that in the control group after treatment (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The jiaotong qiaomai needling technique of acupuncture effectively improves the strephenopodia angle and ambulation function, as well as the morphology of anterior tibia muscle and posterior tibia muscle in the patients with post-stroke strephenopodia.
Keywords: jiaotong qiaomai needling technique of acupuncture; muscle morphology; muscle-skeleton ultrasound; strephenopodia; stroke.