RESUMEN
Objective: To explore the treatment effect of sticking-needle acupuncture plus tendon-regulating manipulation on pain, swelling and joint dysfunction due to acute ankle sprain.Methods: A total of 80 patients with acute ankle sprain were recruited and divided into a control group and a treatment group according to the random number table method, with 40 patients in each group. Both groups received the same conventional interventions. The control group was treated with additional tendon-regulating manipulation, and the treatment group was treated with tendon-regulating manipulation plus sticking-needle acupuncture. The pain, swelling and joint dysfunction of the ankle were observed in both groups before and after 3 d, 7 d and 14 d of treatment. Results: Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the visual analog scale (VAS) score of pain between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores of both groups showed a decreasing trend over time, and the differences within the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). After 3 d, 7 d and 14 d of treatment, the VAS scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of swelling between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the degrees of swelling in both groups showed a decreasing trend over time, and the differences within the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). After 3 d and 7 d of treatment, the degrees of swelling in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the degree of swelling between the two groups after 14 d of treatment (P>0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the American Orthopedic Foot Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale score between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale scores of both groups showed an increasing trend over time, and all the differences within the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). After 3 d, 7 d and 14 d of treatment, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale scores in the treatment group were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the routine intervention, the addition of sticking-needle acupuncture and tendon-regulating manipulation was better in alleviating pain and swelling and improving joint function in patients with acute ankle sprain than the addition of tendon-regulating manipulation alone.