Clinical observation on muscle regions of meridians needling method in improving upper limb function for children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type

• Published in: Journal of acupuncture and tuina science Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 295 - 301
• Main Authors: Li, Nuo, Jin, Bing-xu, Zhao, Yong, Fu, Wen-jie, Liu, Zhen-huan, Liang, Bi-qi, Pang, Bi-hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.07.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acupuncture; Cerebral palsy; Clinical Study; Electromyography; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Paralysis; Rehabilitation; Spasticity; 运动障碍; A; Myospasm; Musculature of 12 Meridians; Child, Preschool; 十二经筋; Acupuncture Therapy; Movement Disorders; R246.4; 肌痉挛; 脑性瘫痪; 偏瘫; 针刺疗法; Hemiplegia; 儿童, 学龄前; Rehabilitation; Cerebral Palsy; 康复
• ISSN: 1672-3597; 1993-0399
• DOI: 10.1007/s11726-020-1191-y

Objective To observe the improving effect of muscle regions of meridians needling method on the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegic type. Methods A total of 100 children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the visiting sequence, with 50 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment. The treatment group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus muscle regions of meridians needling method. The electromyography (EMG) signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres were detected before treatment, and 3 months and 6 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by Peabody developmental motor scale-fine motor (PDMS-FM) and fine motor function measure (FMFM). Results Three and six months after treatment, the EMG signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres, grasping scores and visual-motor integrated scores of PDMS-FM and the FMFM scores in both groups increased to varying degrees compared with the same group before treatment, and the intra-group differences were all statistically significant (all P <0.05). Six months after treatment, the results of the above three items in the treatment group were all better than those in the control group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (all P <0.05). Conclusion Muscle regions of meridians needling method added on the basis of conventional rehabilitation can effectively reduce the muscle tone of upper limb and enhance the muscle strength, and improve the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type. The efficacy is superior to that of the conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment.