Comparative Study of the Clinical Efficacy of Manipulation and Acupuncture in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of manipulation and acupuncture therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, and to provide reference for the optimization of the non-drug treatment scheme of the disease. Methods One hundred and twenty patients with knee osteoarthritis were selected and randomly divided into acupuncture group and manipulation group, with 60 cases in each group. The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture therapy, and the manipulation group was treated by manipulation. WOMAC scale was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the two groups before treatment, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment. Results After 2 weeks' treatment, in the acupuncture group, the pain score was(71.52±36.81), the stiff score was(32.94±31.06), and the joint function score was(286.33±208.92). In the manipulation group, the pain score was(83.39±42.73), the stiff score was(21.17±36.54), and the joint function score was(292.46±213.48). The pain score and joint function score of the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P0.05). The difference of the stiff score in the acupuncture group before and after treatment was not statistically significant(P0.05). The stiff score of the manipulation group was significantly lower than that before treatment(P0.05). Two weeks after treatment, the pain score and joint function score showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P0.05), but the stiff score of the manipulation group was significantly lower than the acupuncture group(P0.05). Four weeks after treatment, the pain score, stiff score, the joint function score were(43.86 ± 35.31),(13.69 ± 12.32),(179.41 ± 165.18) in the acupuncture group, and(51.79±42.68),(11.52±10.74),(195.39±158.92) in the manipulation group, respectively, which were significantly less than the scores 2 weeks after treatment(P0.05). But the differences between the two groups 4 weeks after treatment were not statistically significant(P0.05). Conclusion Compared with the therapy of acupuncture, manipulation treatment for joint stiffness results in faster onset. Two kinds of therapies are all effective for patients with knee osteoarthritis, which are ideal non-drug therapies for the disease.