Comparative Steed of the Effects of Electro-acupuncture and Sham Electro-acupuncture on Pain and Function in Patients with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Notice to the high prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome and the development of acupuncture methods, this study aimed to compare the effect of electro-acupuncture and sham electro-acupuncture on pain and function of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

In a randomized clinical trial study, 40 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome were selected, and randomly allocated in two groups. The first group were treated with electro-acupuncture and the second group were treated with sham electro-acupuncture. The severity of pain and function of patients was evaluated before the intervention, and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment using Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS), and compared between the two groups.

During the follow-up, pain severity improved in both groups (P < 0.01), but the rate of improvement did not differ between the two groups (P = 0.12). AKPS was significantly improved in the electro-acupuncture group (P = 0.04), but no significant difference was observed in the sham electro-acupuncture group (P = 0.09). The trend of AKPS was not significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.12).

The findings of our study showed that both sham electro-acupuncture and electro-acupuncture methods were effective in reducing pain and the symptoms of patellofemoral syndrome; but the efficacy of these two methods was not significant