Positive Health Online

Abstract

DYSON-HUDSON and colleagues, Center for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corp, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA, tdyson-hudson@kmrrec.org, conducted a study to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture and Trager Psychophysical Integration in decreasing chronic shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Background

Methodology

In this prospective clinical trial, 18 subjects with chronic SCI and chronic shoulder pain who used wheelchairs as their primary means of mobility were randomized to receive either 10 acupuncture or 10 Trager treatments over a 5-week period . A 5-week pre-treatment baseline period and a 5-week post-treatment follow-up period were included. The main outcome measures were changes in performance-corrected Wheelchair User's Shoulder Pain Index (PC-WUSPI) scores during baseline, treatment and follow-up periods, assessed by ANOVA.

Results

The mean PC-WUSPI at entry was 48.9. There were no significant changes in the mean PC-WUSPI scores during the pre-treatment baseline period. Mean PC-WUSPI scores decreased significantly during treatment in both the acupuncture (53.4%; 23.3 points) and Trager (53.8%; 21.7 points) groups . The reduced PC-WUSPI scores were maintained in both groups throughout the 5-week post-treatment follow-up period.

Conclusion

Acupuncture and Trager are both effective treatments for reducing chronic shoulder pain associated with functional activities in persons with SCI.

References

Dyson-Hudson TA et al. Acupuncture and Trager psychophysical integration in the treatment of wheelchair user's shoulder pain in individuals with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 82 (8): 1038-46. Aug 2001.