Objective

2

To explore the effect and mechanism of stuck-moving needle acupuncture at myofascial trigger points （MTrPs） in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis （AC）.

Methods

2

Seventy-two cases of AC were randomly divided into stuck-moving needle acupuncture at MTrPs group， conventional acupuncture group， and functional exercise rehabilitation group， with 24 cases in each group. The functional exercise rehabilitation group received shoulder joint rehabilitation exercises， while the stuck-moving needle acupuncture group additionally accepted stuck-moving needle acupuncture at the MTrPs of the shoulder joints， and the conventional acupuncture group additionally received acupuncture at

Jianyu

（LI 15），

Jianliao

（SJ 14），

Jianzhen

（SI 9），

Jianqian

and ashi acupoints on the affected shoulder. Each group was treated once every other day， 3 times a week for 3 weeks， and 9 times in total. The pain visual analog scale （VAS） score was assessed before and after treatment， and the clinical effect was evaluated. Musculoskeletal ultrasound was used to observe the changes in the thickness of the axillary capsule of the glenohumeral joints and the thickness of the coracohumeral ligament on both unaffected and affected shoulders. Infrared thermal imaging technology was used to measure the changes of the temperature in the front， side and back of the shoulders before and after treatment.

Results

2

Two cases fell off during treatment， and finally 24 cases in the stuck-moving needle acupuncture group， 23 cases in the conventional acupuncture group and 23 cases in the functional exercise rehabilitation group were included in the analysis. After treatment， the VAS scores in all groups were reduced （

P

＜0.01）， and much lower score was found in the stuck-moving needle acupuncture group than in the other two groups， as well as in the conventional acupuncture group than in the functional excercise rehabilitation group （

P

＜0.05 or

P

＜0.01）. The cure and markedly effective rates of the stuck-moving needle acupuncture group， conventional acupuncture group， and functional exercise rehabilitation group were 87.50% （21/24）， 69.57% （16/23）， and 43.48% （10/23）， respectively， favoring the stuck-moving needle acupuncture group than the functional exercise rehabilitation group （

P

＜0.01）. Compared to those of the unaffected shoulder before treatment， the thickness of the axillary capsule of the glenohumeral joints and the coracohumeral ligament of the affected shoulder were thickened， and the temperatures of the front， side， and back of the affected shoulder increased （

P

＜0.01）； compared to those of the affected shoulder before treatment， the thickness of the axillary capsule of the glenohumeral joints and the coracohumeral ligament of the affected shoulder after treatment were reduced， and the temperatures of the front， side， and back of the affected shoulder decreased （

P

＜0.01）. The stuck-moving needle acupuncture group was better than the other groups in improving the thickness of the axillary capsule of the glenohumeral joints and the coracohumeral ligament of the affected shoulder （

P

＜0.01）， while there was no significant difference between the conventional acupuncture group and functional exercise rehabilitation group （

P

＞0.05）. The stuck-moving needle acupuncture group was superior than the functional exercise rehabilitation group in improving the temperatures of the front， side and back side of both unaffected and affected shoulders （

P

＞0.01）， but was not significantly different with the conventional acupuncture group （

P

＞0.05）.

Conclusion

2

Stuck-moving needle acupuncture at MTrPs can improve the shoulder pain and increase the clinical effect in the treatment of AC patients， possibly by changing the local soft tissue structure and circulation state of shoulder joints.