Observation on clinical efficacy of tension-balance acupuncture therapy in treating knee osteoarthritis

Objective By comparison of the clinical efficacy of treating knee osteoarthritis with tension-balance acupuncture therapy and conventional acupuncture therapy, the effectiveness of treatment of knee osteoarthritis with tension-balance acupuncture therapy was evaluated. Methods Sixty-three patients with knee osteoarthritis in conformity with the diagnostic criteria were randomly divided into the tension-balance-acupuncture group (32 cases, balance group for short) and the conventional acupuncture group (31 cases, conventional group for short) according to random number table. In the balance group, patients with the pain in the anterior flexor group were needled at Biguan (ST 31), Fengshi (GB 31), Heding (EX-LE 2), Dubi ( ST 35), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Xuehai (SP 10) and Liangqiu (ST 34). Afterwards the patients were repositioned in prone position. They were given the treatment by needling at Huantiao (GB 30), Chengfu (BL 36), Weizhong (BL 40), Weiyang (BL 39), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Ququan (LV 8) and Chengshan (BL 57). Patients with the pain in the posterior extensor group were needled at ST 31, GB 31, EX-LE2, ST 35, GB 34, SP 10 and ST 34. Then the patients were repositioned in prone position. They were given the treatment by needling at GB 30, BL 36, BL 40, BL 39, SP 9, LV 8 and BL 57. They were treated once a day with five days as a course of treatment and two days as an interval. After three courses, Lequesne indiceses before and after the treatment and clinical efficacy of the treatment were observed. In the conventional group, patients were treated in a sitting position by needling at ST 35, Xiyan (EX-LE 5), Zusanli (ST 36), GB 34, Xuanzhong (GB 39), SP 9, EX-LE2, ST 34, Shenshu (BL 23) and Pishu (BL 20). They were treated once a day with five days as a course of treatment and two days as an interval. After three courses, the clinical efficacy of the treatment was observed. Results After three courses, improved Lequesne indices score was (5.55 +/- 1.08) in the balance group while improved Lequesne indices score was (2.14 +/- 0.57) in the conventional group, indicating that improved Lequesne indices score in the balance group was superior to that of the conventional group with the significant difference (P<0.05); efficacy rate in the balance group was 84.37% while that of the conventional group was 58.06%, and efficacy rate in the balance group was superior to that of the conventional group (P<0.01). Conclusion Clinical efficacy of treatment of knee osteoarthritis in the balance group was superior to that of the conventional group, worthy of clinical promotion.