Objective To compare the clinical effect of electroacupuncture with double-target acupoints selection protocol and single-target acupoints selection protocol in the treatment of traumatic peripheral nerve injury of limbs. Methods Fifty-six patients with limb dysfunction caused by traumatic peripheral nerve injury were randomly divided into control group and treatment group with 28 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with traditional single-target acupoints selection protocol

i.e. acupoints were selected along the route of the peripheral nerve trunk

while the patients in the treatment group were treated with the improved double-target acupoints selection protocol

i.e. acupoints were additionally selected along du mai（Governing Vessel）). Both groups were treated with electroacupuncture for 30 minutes

once every other day

three times a week

for 15 weeks in total. Electromyography was performed to test the amplitudes and conduction velocities of motor and sensory nerves before and after treatment. The clinical effect and neuro-electrophysiological effect were evaluated after treatment. Results The total effective rate of treatment group was 89.3%（25/28）

while that of control group was 78.6%（22/28）

with no significant difference between groups（P>0.05）; however

the marked effective rate of treatment group was 67.9%（19/28）

which was significantly higher than 39.3%（11/28） of control group（P<0.05）. In terms of neuro-electrophysiological effect

the total effective rate of treatment group and control group was 92.9%（26/28） and 76.6%（22/28） respectively

and the difference between groups were not statistically significant（P>0.05）; the marked effective rate was 42.9% of treatment group

which was significantly higher than 14.3%（4/28） of control group（P<0.05）. The amplitudes and conduction velocities of motor and sensory nerves after treatment were significantly improved than before treatment in both groups; and the improvements were more obviously in treatment group than in control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion Both single-target and double-target acupoint selection protocols of electroacupuncture can effectively promote the recovery of nerve function after peripheral nerve injury

and the double-target electroacupuncture protocol is more effective

and has better improvements of electrophysiological indexes of the injured nerves.