Randomized Comparison of the Therapeutic Effect of Acupuncture, Massage, and Tachibana-Style-Method on Stiff Shoulders by Measuring Muscle Firmness, VAS, Pulse, and Blood Pressure

Abstract

To compare the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture, massage, and Tachibana-Ryojutsu (one of Japanese traditional body balance therapy techniques (SEITAI)), on stiff shoulders, the subjects' muscle firmness, blood pressure, pulse, VAS, and body temperature were measured before and after the treatment. Forty-seven volunteer subjects gave written informed consent to participate in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into three groups to receive acupuncture, massage, or Tachibana-Ryojutsu. Each therapy lasted for 90 seconds. The acupuncture treatment was applied by a retaining-needle at GB-21, massage was conducted softly on the shoulders, and Tachibana-Ryojutsu treated only the muscles and joints from the legs to buttocks without touching the shoulders or backs. The study indicated that the muscle firmness and VAS of the Tachibana-Ryojutsu group decreased significantly in comparison with the acupuncture and massage groups after treatment.

Effectiveness of Dry Needling in Bothersome Chronic Tinnitus in Patients with Myofascial Trigger Points

“…This device is capable of measuring muscle tension/muscle tone if the measurement condition does not change during follow-up and the position and posture of the patient are consistently replicated at every therapeutic session. 19 Measurements placed perpendicular to the muscle to be tested by the Neutone device were established, performed in triplicate for each patient, always by the same researcher, in order to keep a uniform and constant pressure pattern as well as to prevent measurement misreading.…”

“…14 Treatment modalities already described for MTPs include: (1) antidepressants, neuroleptics, non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs, [15][16][17] (2) acupuncture, (3) ultrasonography therapeutic application (longitudinal and compressional sound waves that travel through biological tissue and induces mechanical vibration as well as displacement of molecules), (4) diathermy, (5) transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS), (6) cold spray (cryotherapy resource used as a local anesthetic in physical therapy), (7) several stretching techniques, (8) dry needling (DN), and (9) local injections with anesthetics and/or steroids. 18,19 The clinical efficacy of these therapies is yet to be defined, since studies comparing pre-and post-treatment outcomes with control and placebo groups are scarce.…”

Similarities and Differences in East Asian Massage and Bodywork Therapies: A Critical Review

“…It is the belief of the authors that ignoring these differences, and using different techniques interchangeably, only leads to confusion in the field of research in oriental bodywork, making it more difficult to assess the evidence. Moreover, the few studies which have addressed the question of the effects of different methods of mechanical stimulation, suggest that different types of mechanical stimulation do not have the same or similar physiological effects [10][11][12].…”

Eficácia do agulhamento a seco no incômodo do zumbido crônico em portadores de pontos gatilhos miofasciais

“…Foram feitas medidas triplas em cada músculo, sempre pelo mesmo examinador, para que fosse mantida pressão constante e uniforme, para prevenir leitura equivocada decorrente de examinadores diferentes(Tachibana et al, 2012). Após todas as medidas realizadas, o paciente foi orientado a deitar-se na maca, em decúbito ventral ou dorsal (dependendo do músculo candidato ao tratamento, Quadro 2) e iniciou-se o AS placebo.Após intervalo de 15 dias ("washout"), cada paciente iniciou a segunda fase do tratamento, chamado de AS terapêutico, com agulha Asia-Med Acupunture Needle CE 98527 O123 Suhl(Figura 14).…”