Clinical study on warm needling moxibustion plus isokinetic muscle strength training in treating knee osteoarthritis

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus isokinetic muscle strength training for knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods:A total of 135 patients with KOA due to Yang deficiency and coagulated cold were randomized into a warm needling moxibustion group,an isokinetic muscle strength training group,and a combined group by the random number table method,with 45 cases in each group.The warm needling moxibustion group was treated with warm needling moxibustion.The isokinetic muscle strength training group was treated with isokinetic muscle strength training.The combined group was treated with warm needling moxibustion plus isokinetic muscle strength training.The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index(WOMAC)and visual analog scale(VAS)were scored before and after treatment,and isokinetic indicators of peak torque(PT),total work(TW)and average power(AP)were evaluated.Results:The total effective rate of the combined group was 92.5%,which was significantly higher than 83.3%in the warm needling moxibustion group(P<0.05)and 72.5%in the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05).After treatment,the scores of WOMAC(total,pain,stiffness,and function)and VAS,and isokinetic indicators(PT,TW,and AP)were all improved compared with those before treatment(P<0.05)in all three groups.The differences among the three groups were statistically significant(P<0.05).The WOMAC total score and score of stiffness in the combined group were lower than those in the warm needling moxibustion group and the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05),and the scores in the warm needling moxibustion group were lower than those in the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05).The WOMAC score of pain and VAS score in the warm needling moxibustion group and the combined group were lower than those in the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05).The differences between the warm needling moxibustion group and the combined group were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The WOMAC function score in the combined group was lower than that in the warm needling moxibustion group and the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05),while there was no statistical difference between the warm needling moxibustion group and the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P>0.05).PT,TW,and AP in the combined group were higher than those in the warm needling moxibustion group and the isokinetic muscle strength training group(P<0.05),and they were higher in the isokinetic muscle strength training group than in the warm needling moxibustion group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Warm needling moxibustion plus isokinetic muscle strength training has a better effect in the treatment of KOA due to Yang deficiency and coagulated cold than either warm needling moxibustion or isokinetic muscle strength training alone.