Objective

2

To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect of oblique needling after equal division and positioning of anatomic points on acute sacroiliac joint injury assessed with infrared thermography.

Methods

2

A total of 150 patients with acute sacroiliac joint injury were randomly divided into an oblique needling group

a perpendicular needling group

and an acupressure+tuina group

with 50 cases in each group. After equal division and positioning of anatomic points at sacroiliac joints

the oblique needling

perpendicular needling and acupressure+

tuina

techniques of acupuncture were operated in three groups

respectively. The treatment was administered once daily

5 sessions per week; 10 sessions constituted one treatment course

with a total of one course required in the trial. Before and after treatment

the scores of Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA)

visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain

and World Health Organization quality of life-BREF (WHO QOL-BREF)

as well as the average temperature of the lumbosacral region were observed in each group. Additionally

the correlation between the average lumbosacral temperature and efficacy indicators was explored.

Results

2

After treatment

the scores of JOA

WHO QOL-BREF in the oblique needling group were higher (

P

<

0.01

P

<

0.001)

and the VAS score was lower (

P

<

0.01

P

<

0.001) than those in the perpendicular needling group and the acupressure+tuina group; and the average temperature of the affected lumbosacral region in the oblique needling group was lower compared with that in the other two groups (

P

<

0.001). After treatment

the average lumbosacral temperature of the affected side showed a negative correlation with the JOA score in each group (

r

=-0.645

-0.482

-0.809

P

<

0.001).

Conclusion

2

Following equal division and positioning of anatomic points

the therapeutic effect of acupuncture with ob

lique needling is superior to the perpendicular needling and acupressure+

tuina

on acute sacroiliac joint injury. The average temperature of the affected lumbosacral region is correlated with the severity of lumbosacral dysfunction after treatment.