Effect of Acupuncture plus Mirror Therapy on Lower-limb Dysfunction in Hemiplegia after Cerebral Infarction / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of JIN’s three needle therapy plus mirror therapy for knee joint movement on lower-limb function of patients with hemiplegia after cerebral infarction.Method Seventy-four patients with hemiplegia after cerebral infarction were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 37 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by JIN’s three needle therapy plus mirror therapy for knee joint movement, while the control group was by mirror therapy for knee joint movement alone. After 4-week treatment, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) were adopted for evaluating motor function of the affected limb and the activities of daily living (ADL), the Functional Ambulation Category scale (FAC) for assessing the walking ability, and the Twichell-Brunnstrom Stages of Stroke Recovery for determining the stage of post-stroke hemiplegia. Result After the intervention, the FMA and MBI scores were significantly changed in both groups (P<0.05). The changes of FMA and MBI scores in the treatment group after the treatment were significantly different from those in the control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, there were significant between-group differences in comparing the FAC and Brunnstrom grading results (P<0.05).Conclusion JIN’s three needle therapy plus mirror therapy for knee joint movement is an effective approach in treating hemiplegia after cerebral infarction, and it can improve the lower-limb motor function and the ADL.