Payton S, Bailey SD. The effect of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture on lower limb muscle strength. J Acupunct Tuina Sci, 2017, 15(): DOI: © Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian 2017︱● ● Clinical Study The effect of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture on lower limb muscle strength 温针灸治疗勃起功能障碍的临床疗效观察 Stephen Payton 1 , Steven D Bailey 2 1 Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK 2 School of Biomechanics Sports and Remedial Therapies, Nottingham NG10 4LB, UK Abstract Objective: To determine whether six weeks' of acupuncture has a positive effect on plantar flexion muscle strength and whether electroacupuncture (EA) has a greater effect than manual acupuncture (MA) on plantar flexion, so that the most beneficial method of acupuncture can be established for strengthening muscles. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. A total of 20 participants were randomly assigned to three groups: control/non‐acupuncture group (n＝6), manual acupuncture group (MAG) (n＝8) and electroacupuncture group (EAG) (n＝6). MAG and EAG received three 25 minute treatment sessions per week for 6 weeks. The control group continued with their normal training activity and received no treatment. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the ankle plantar‐flexors at 30° per second was measured using Biodex system 3. Results: Both MA and EA had a positive effect in increasing plantar flexion strength. The likelihood for this happening was high; 69% for MA and 92% for EA when compared with the control group. However the effect size was small for both groups. There was only a trivial difference in the effect size between the EAG and the MAG in regards to average plantar flexion torque. Conclusion: EA and MA have a beneficial effect on plantar flexion muscle strength compared with the control group in healthy population. Keywords: Acupuncture Therapy; Electroacupuncture; Manual Acupuncture; Muscle Strength; Muscle Strength Dynamometer; Randomized Controlled Trial 【摘要】目的：验证 6 星期针刺治疗对跖屈肌肌力是否有积极影响, 并比较电针和手捻针的效果, 从而确立增强肌 力的最佳针刺方法。方法：研究采用随机平行对照法。20 例参与者随机分为 3 组: 对照/非针刺组(n＝6), 手捻针组 (n＝8)及电针组(n＝6)。手捻针组及电针组每星期各治疗 3 次,1 次 25 min, 共治疗 6 星期。对照组仅予以一般训练。 应用 Biodex system 3 测量踝关节跖屈位 30°时跖屈肌每秒最大自主收缩力。 结果：手捻针与电针皆可提高跖屈肌肌 力, 与对照组比较, 起效可能性都较高: 手捻针为 69%, 电针为 92%。但两个针刺组的效应量都较小。两个针刺组平 均跖屈力矩比较, 效应量差异不显著。结论：对于健康人群, 电针及手捻针都有利于提高跖屈肌力量。 【关键词】针刺疗法; 电针; 手捻针; 肌力; 测力计; 随机对照试验 【中图分类号】R246.2 【文献标志码】A Acupuncture is widely used in sport for its analgesic effect on a variety of joints [1‐2] . More recently acupuncture has been used to enhance recovery from sporting competitions [3] . Recently there has been a broader acceptance of acupuncture aimed at enhancing sports performance. Acupuncture point Zusanli (ST 36) is widely accepted ended under traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a point to develop strength. Over the past two decades there have been a number of studies [4‐12] that have shown positive results with Author: Stephen Payton, MSc Sport Therapy, BSc Sport Science. E-mail: s.payton@tees.ac.uk regards to the effects of acupuncture on enhancing psychological and physiological responses in athletes during and following intense exercise. The four main areas that acupuncture is utilized in enhancing human performance during or following exercise include improving muscle strength, reducing delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), reducing lactic acid, and heart rate reduction following exercise [13] . Muscle strength is an integral part of an athletes training programme for injury prevention, rehabilitation following injury and in order to enhance performance in preparation for competition. Strength training has been shown to have a significant impact on a variety of sports [9,11‐12,14] and ultimately be an effective ergogenic aid in the enhancement of muscle strength of the lower limb. A systematic review undertaken by Bailey [13] to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in enhancing human