Community promotion of superficial needling plus club swing for post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint

With two variables you can't know which one to attribute recovery to. And since this doesn't mention timeframe it could just be spontaneous recovery. These were all high functioning survivors already.  I don't see how acupuncture can have any effects except placebo or spontaneous recovery since energy meridians have never been proven to exist.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11726-017-0985-z

• Authors
• Authors and affiliations

• Huan-huan Ni (倪欢欢)
• Yao-chi Wu (吴耀持)Email author
• Xiang-dong Shi (石向东)
• Yang Li (李洋)
• Yi-yi Zhang (张奕奕)
• Hui-ling Zeng (曾慧玲)
• Li Ji (季力)
• De-quan Huang (黄德权)
• Chun-shui Huang (黄春水)

• Huan-huan Ni (倪欢欢)
  • 1
• Yao-chi Wu (吴耀持)
  • 2
  Email author
• Xiang-dong Shi (石向东)
  • 3
• Yang Li (李洋)
  • 4
• Yi-yi Zhang (张奕奕)
  • 5
• Hui-ling Zeng (曾慧玲)
  • 1
• Li Ji (季力)
  • 1
• De-quan Huang (黄德权)
  • 1
• Chun-shui Huang (黄春水)
  • 1

1. 1.Shanghai Changning District Tianshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
2. 2.Department of Acupuncture, Tuina and TraumatologyShanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s HospitalShanghaiChina
3. 3.Shanghai Changning District Huayang Community Health CenterShanghaiChina
4. 4.Shanghai Changning District Zhoujiaqiao Community Health CenterShanghaiChina
5. 5.Shanghai Changning District Hongqiao Community Health CenterShanghaiChina

Special Topic Study

First Online:

23 April 2017

DOI: 10.1007/s11726-017-0985-z

Cite this article as:

Ni, H., Wu, Y., Shi, X. et al. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. (2017) 15: 109. doi:10.1007/s11726-017-0985-z

• 5 Downloads

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the community promotion feasibility of superficial needling plus club swing for post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint.

Methods

A total of 180 cases (duration <1.5 years) with post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint were recruited from three community health centers in Changning District, 60 from each community. They were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=90) and a control group (n=90). Patients in both groups received standard internal and rehabilitation care. Patients in the observation group received additional superficial needling plus club swing. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was conducted before and 60 d after the treatment to evaluate the severity of shoulder pain. The active movement of the shoulder joint and activities of daily living (ADL) were also observed.

Results

There were no between-group statistical differences before the treatment (all P>0.05). After a 60-day treatment, the shoulder pain severity, active range of motion of the shoulder joint and ADL in the observation group were significantly improved than those in the control group (all P<0.01). In addition, no adverse events were reported by participants in the observation group.

Conclusion

Superficial needling plus club swing plays a positive role in improving post-stroke motion impairment of the shoulder joint. This safe, reliable and economical therapy has good patient compliance and is suitable for community promotion.