Therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture plus Tuina for spastic cerebral palsy and discussion ofits mechanism / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective: To discuss the effects of acupuncture plus Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) in intervening the mental development, motor function, cerebral hemodynamics, and muscle tone in kids with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 87 kids with spastic CP. They were divided into a control group and an observation group based on their original treatment plan. Kids in the control group received symptomatic treatment, motor development therapy, and Tuina treatment. The observation group was additionally given acupuncture treatment. One month was taken as a treatment course. After six courses, the efficacy, change in muscle tone, mental development, gross motor function, fine motor function, and the systolic velocity (Vs), mean velocity (Vm), and pulsatility index (PI) of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) were compared between the two groups. Results: After treatment, the muscle tone score dropped in both groups (P<0.05) and was significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). The observation group achieved more significant efficacy than the control group (P<0.05). After the intervention, the mental development index (MDI), psychomotor development index (PDI), gross motor function measure (GMFM) score, and fine motor function measure (FMFM) score all increased in both groups (P<0.05) and were notably higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the Vs and Vm of the ACA, MCA, and PCA were markedly higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05), and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group comparing the PI of the ACA, MCA, and PCA (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the symptomatic treatment and motor development therapy, Tuina and acupuncture treatment can effectively treat spastic CP children, manifesting as reducing muscle tone, boosting mental development, and improving motor function and cerebral hemodynamics.