Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2025, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (10): 1194-1205.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.10.011

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of scalp combined with intradermal-needle acupuncture synchronized rehabilitation therapy on upper limb motor function after stroke

YU Zifu1,2, YANG Xiaoxia3, ZHAO Xia4, CAO Xinyan1, CHEN Liangxia2, LIU Xihua4()   

  1. 1. Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong 250355, China
    2. Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ji'nan, Shandong 250014, China
    3. Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250021, China
    4. Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, Shandong 250014, China
  • Received:2025-05-22 Revised:2025-09-12 Published:2025-10-25 Online:2025-11-10
  • Contact: LIU Xihua, E-mail: xihualiu0629@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Shandong Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Science & Technology Research Project(M-2023142);Shandong Medical Workers Science and Technology Innovation Program(SDYWZGKCJH2022024)

Abstract:

Objective To explore the effect of scalp combined with intradermal-needle acupuncture synchronized rehabilitation therapy on upper limb motor function in stroke patients.
Methods From December, 2022 to December, 2023, 144 stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction in the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were randomly divided into control, intradermal-needle, scalp-acupuncture and acupuncture groups (36 cases repectively). All groups received conventional treatment and upper limb rehabilitation training, the intradermal-needle group added intradermal-needle therapy, the scalp-acupuncture group added scalp-acupuncture therapy, and the acupuncture group added both scalp- and intradermal-needle therapies, for four weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and after treatment. Twenty cases were selected randomly from each group, fractional anisotropy (FA) values and ratio of fractional anisotropy (rFA) of the lesion area and the posterior limb of the internal capsule were also measured with diffusion tensor imaging.
Results Two cases dropped out in both the control group and the intradermal-needle group, while one case dropped out in both the scalp-acupuncture group and the acupuncture group. All groups showed significant improvement in FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI scores, as well as in the FA and rFA values of the lesion area and the posterior limb of the internal capsule (t > 5.532, P < 0.001) after treatment. The acupuncture group demonstrated the greatest pre- to post-treatment differences in FMA-UE scores, lesion-area FA and rFA values, and posterior-limb rFA values compared with the other three groups (|Z| > 3.256, P < 0.05), and more WMFT and MBI improvements than those of the intradermal-needle group and the control group (|Z| > 5.483, P < 0.001). A significant interaction effect was observed between intradermal and scalp acupuncture in improving FMA-UE scores (partial η² = 0.035, P = 0.029). The change in FMA-UE scores was positively correlated with the change in FA values of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (r > 0.453, P < 0.05) across four groups.
Conclusion Scalp combined with intradermal-needle acupuncture synchronized rehabilitation therapy can more effectively improve upper-limb motor function in stroke patients, which may associate with the recovery of internal capsule.

Key words: stroke, upper limb, motor function, acupuncture synchronized rehabilitation therapy, diffusion tensor imaging

CLC Number: