Effect of mángzhēn huīcì (relaxing needling with sharp long needle) for iliotibial band friction syndrome: A randomized clinical trial 芒针恢刺治疗髂胫束摩擦综合征-随机临床试验

Abstract

Objective

to observe the clinical effect of acupuncture by mángzhēn huīcì (relaxing needling with sharp long needle) on iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS).

Design

this was a two-arm randomized controlled trial with blinding of participants, outcome assessment and statistician.

Setting

acupuncture-Moxibustion, Tuina and Orthopedics Department and the Orthopedics Department of Shanghai the Sixth People's Hospital, June 2018 to January 2021.

Participants

a total of 64 patients with iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS).

Interventions

with a 1:1 ratio the patients were randomly assigned to either the conventional acupuncture group (CA, n=32) or the Relaxing Needling with Sharp Long Needle group (RNSLN, n=32). The CA group was treated by applying acupuncture at Jūliáo (居髎GB 29), Fēngshì (风市GB 31), Liángqiū (梁丘ST 34), Yánglíngquán (阳陵泉GB 34), and Ashi points (阿是穴) of the affected side, and the RNSLN group was treated by applying relaxing needling with sharp long needle at Jūliáo (居髎GB 29), Liángqiū (梁丘ST 34), and Ashi points of the affected side. Both groups were treated once every other day, 10 times as one course of treatment.

Outcome measures

the treatment effect was evaluated after one course of treatment by comparing their KSS scores and VAS scores, as well as overall response rate.

Results

Sixty-four patients were included in the final data analysis. There was no difference in KSS and VAS scores between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the KSS score of the two groups was higher than that before treatment, the VAS score of the two groups was lower than that before treatment (P<0.05). The KSS score of the RNSLN group was higher than that of the CA group, and the VAS score of the RNSLN group was lower than that of the CA group (P<0.05). The overall response rate of the RNSLN group was 93.75%, higher than 75% of the control group (P<0.05). Each group has 1 case of subcutaneous bleeding as adverse event.

Conclusion

Relaxing Needling with Sharp Long Needle could be more beneficial for iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBS) compared with conventional acupuncture, and more evidence is required for its effectiveness before introducing the approach widely to clinical practice.