Electroacupuncture and body-weight supported treadmill training after vertebral fractures

Abstract

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture and body-weight supported treadmill training in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) after fractures of the thoracolumbar segment of the spine.Methods Forty-three patients with SCI after fractures of the thoracolumbar segment of the spine were randomly divided into a treatment group (22 cases) and a control group (21 cases). The patients in the treatment group were treated with electroacupuncture and body-weight supported treadmill training, while those in the control group were treated mainly with drugs. Patients were scored with the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) assessment and the modified Barthel index (MBI) initially and after 6 months. Results The ASIA and MBI scores of all patients were significantly higher after 6 months than before treatment, but those in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Excellent and good ratings were applied to 77% of the treatment group, while only 48% of the control group, a statistically significant difference. Conclusions Electroacupuncture and body-weight supported treadmill training can effectively improve ability in the activities of daily living, sensation and locomotor abilities after thoracolumbar vertebral fractures. Key words: Electroacupuncture; Body-weight supported treadmill training; Thoracolumbar vertebral fractures; Spinal cord injury