Immediate Effects of Acupuncture Treatment on Intra- and Inter-Limb Contributions to Body Support During Gait in Patients with Bilateral Medial Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) often leads to altered balance control, joint motion and loading patterns during gait. Acupuncture has been proven to be effective in pain relief but its effects on inter-joint load-sharing for body balance have not been reported. The current study bridged the gap by quantifying the immediate effects of acupuncture on the inter-joint and inter-limb load-sharing in patients with knee OA during level walking in terms of the total support moment (Ms) and the contribution of individual joints to the total support moment. Gait analysis was performed on fifteen healthy controls and on fifteen patients with mild to moderate bilateral medial knee OA. After acupuncture treatment the patients with bilateral knee OA walked with significantly increased speed ([Formula: see text]), and were able to resist greater and closer-to-normal knee flexion moments ([Formula: see text]). They also changed the inter-joint sharing of the support moments with increased knee ([Formula: see text]) contributions, but reduced hip contributions ([Formula: see text]) to the sagittal Ms during single-limb support. They showed an asymmetric inter-limb load-sharing similar to the normal controls, with increased sharing of the time integral of both the sagittal and frontal whole body support moment by the leading limb during double-limb support ([Formula: see text]). The altered intra- and inter-limb contributions to the demand of supporting the body during gait suggests that acupuncture treatment led to immediate changes in the control strategy toward a normal pattern. However, the effects of these changes on the progression of the disease in the long term would require further investigation.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case Study

“…High improvement percentages, an average of 84% for pain and 57% for join flexion mobility, were achieved within a modest intervention period, 6 weeks, with just one session a week, and with a reduced number of needled acupoints, compared to most of the treatment protocols used in other studies. Knee flexion mobility per session (an average of 21%) was higher than the outcomes reported in similar studies (9% [ 30 ] and 16% [ 37 ]). Although the beneficial effects of acupuncture are shown here in just two patients, and the small sample can skew results, our study supports the thesis that acupuncture can be used as an effective therapeutic tool in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.…”

The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Osteoporosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Warm acupuncture could increase the bone mineral density of lumar and femur, the level of serum calcium and E 2 , relieve pain, decrease the level of serum alkaline phosphatase as compared with the application of only Western medicine. Electroacupuncture could relieve pain, increase the level of serum calcium and decrease the level of serum alkaline phosphatase compared with only Western medicine (Liu et al, 2017;Seo et al, 2017). Needling could relieve pain compared with only Western medicine.…”

Improvement in gait performance in oldest-old with chronic pain, after acupuncture intervention

“…These data corroborate with another study that demonstrated good acupuncture outcomes in the walk of patients with osteoarthritis in the knee. 24 Data from an animal model study demonstrated beneficial effects of electroacupuncture in rats with spinal cord injury in gait. After a few weeks of treatment, the mice showed a gradual increase in gait performance, with a significant improvement in the duration, the length and the speed of the walk.…”