Researchers from the National Taiwan University, in Taipei studied the immediate effects of acupuncture on gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

First, the details.

• 20 patients with osteoarthritis affecting both knees were randomly assigned to a treatment group.
  • 30-minute electro-acupuncture treatment
  • Sham acupuncture

And, the results.

• Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were decreased significantly after acupuncture in both groups.
• But the mean change of the VAS values of the electro-acupuncture group was 2 times greater than the sham group.
• There were no significant changes in gait in the sham group, but electro-acupuncture was associated with a significant increase in the gait speed, step length, several components of joint angles and moments.

The bottom line?

The authors concluded, “Significantly improved gait performance in the experimental [electro-acupuncture] group may be associated with pain relief after treatment.”

These findings are supported by a Cochrane review, which reported that compared to “supervised osteoarthritis education” and a “physician consultation,” acupuncture was associated with clinically relevant short- and long-term improvements in pain and function.

However, the same Cochrane review also found…

• The response to acupuncture was similar to “home exercises/advice leaflet” and “supervised exercise”
• Acupuncture as an adjuvant to exercise-based physiotherapy did not result in any greater improvements than the exercise program alone.

2/9/10 22:48 JR