A single-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted, enrolling thirty-six healthy adults who had not recently participated in forearm strengthening or occupations/hobbies involving repeated forceful wrist motion. A fatiguing wrist extension exercise protocol was completed to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Group one received no treatment. Group two received acupuncture (ACU). Group three received sham acupuncture (S-ACU) with non-penetrating needles. Outcomes included grip strength, visual analogue scale for pain (VAS) and pain pressure threshold (PPT). Skin conductance (SC), skin temperature (ST) and perfusion (BF) were recorded to quantify the sympathetic nervous system response to treatment. The ACU group showed a significant increase in ipsilateral BF and in bilateral SC. The ACU group showed a significant decrease in distal ST bilaterally. The ACU and S-ACU groups showed decreased ipsilateral proximal ST. The exercise protocol did not consistently produce DOMS. The sample size of 36 may not have yielded sufficient statistical power.

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Physiotherapists in New Zealand are increasingly learning and practicing Western acupuncture. Western acupuncture as a new and different tool is enhancing and yet challenging physiotherapists practice. This study explores the meaning behind Western acupuncture practice to further understand the implications of its development and possible future direction.Hermeneutic methodology was used because it facilitates the exploration between that which is familiar and that which is unfamiliar. Seven New Zealand physiotherapists qualified to practise Western acupuncture were interviewed about their practice experiences. The data in relation to the phenomenon of inquiry was analysed thematically.The findings revealed a complex array of tensions within physiotherapy because of the differences Western acupuncture brings to physiotherapists' practice. Western acupuncture is a new and useful tool in the physiotherapists 'toolbox'. It is congruent with other physiotherapy practices in that it shares the same scientific neurophysiological foundation. However, the association of Western acupuncture with traditional Chinese acupuncture causes it to be viewed as a complementary medical practice and thus, not completely legitimate as a part of physiotherapy. These tensions are further confounded because the technical rationalist paradigm, upon which physiotherapy is based, values evidence-based practices. The best evidence is perceived to be that gained from the randomised controlled trial. I argue that the randomised controlled trial is poorly suited to the evaluation of complex practices such as Western acupuncture. Such insights also challenge physiotherapy, as a whole, because the available 'evidence' does not acknowledge the complexities of practice involving individual practitioners, their colleagues, the profession, other healthcare professions, patients and the public.The tensions encountered in physiotherapy and Western acupuncture practice have led to a number of recommendations in education, practice, research and legislation. Overall, they suggest a need to develop a more inclusive model of practice development. Western acupuncture is a potentially valuable tool. In order to maximise use of this tool physiotherapy practice understandings need to be extended. This in turn, will assist development of the profession as a whole.

Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity in New Zealand and overseas. Neonatal intensive care is the most expensive item in the national health budget. The human cost to the child and the family is significant. In the last twenty five years there has been no reduction in the preterm birth rate despite major advances in neonatal and obstetric care. The aim of this study is to describe and explore the experience of women who had received traditional Chinese acupuncture treatment for threatened preterm labour. I explore the perception of acupuncture as an effective treatment to stop preterm labour, prolong the pregnancy or prevent preterm birth in a subsequent pregnancy, where risk factors are present. This is a descriptive and exploratory case study using a multiple case study design. A purposive sample was selected of five retrospective cases of women who had had a previous preterm birth experience and who had used acupuncture for threatening preterm labour in a subsequent pregnancy. Data was collected from the women using interviews, observations and review of midwifery and acupuncture case notes. The data was analysed using content and thematic analysis and also principles based on the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine. The key finding of the study is that the five women at risk all completed a full-term pregnancy. They all noticed that the signs and symptoms usually associated with threatening preterm labour went away when they had acupuncture. They also experienced a number of significant improvements to their general health and wellbeing. All five were totally happy with the outcomes and the entire acupuncture experience. When intervention is required, acupuncture based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine appears effective as a treatment strategy in preterm labour. Few studies have been done in this area. Further research is needed so that women can be offered choices and healthcare professionals can have confidence in acupuncture as a treatment strategy for threatening preterm labour.

Background: Frozen shoulder or idiopathic adhesive capsulitis is an enigma of musculo-skeletal medicine. It is a difficult condition to treat and its etiology is still unknown. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate whether acupuncture has a role in the management of frozen shoulder. Objectives: An in-depth literature review was conducted on all aspects related to the current concepts and treatments for frozen shoulder. Although there were discussions on associated conditions and possible causes of frozen shoulder, there is currently no consensus on its management. Acupuncture has been used successfully as a treatment for frozen shoulder by many eastern practitioners. Unfortunately, their claims could not be substantiated due to a lack of properly conducted clinical trials. An acupuncture treatment protocol for the management of frozen shoulder was designed based on both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Anatomical principles. This protocol was then tested with a clinical trial. Methods: A pilot study, using a prospective case series of 20 patients suffering with the “adhesive phase” of frozen shoulder, was conducted to test the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment protocol. This study included specific selection and exclusion criteria; an objective assessment of the range of movement and subjective assessments on the quality of life and pain. All data were collated and analysed with SPSS version 12. The pretreatment and post-treatment data were tested using both parametric paired sample t test and non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The patients’ profile confirmed the affected age group and gender distribution to be similar to those in the literature search. Unfortunately, due to the small sample size, there were no significant associated conditions demonstrated. There were twice as many cases of primary frozen shoulder than secondary frozen shoulder in this study. These analyses suggested that there were significant changes in all three areas of assessment – range of shoulder movement, quality of life and visual analogue pain scale (p&lt0.001). At completion of treatment, the result revealed that the acupuncture treatment protocol was successful in 60%, and moderately successful in 15%, of the 20 cases tested. This outcome was compared with the study by Omari and Bunker which showed only 12% success with conservative western medical treatments, suggesting that acupuncture may be better than conservative western medical treatments. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment is less costly and has minimal side effects. It should be part of the non-procedural modalities offered to patients suffering with frozen shoulder. For patients who have failed western conservative managements, a trial of acupuncture treatment should be considered prior to embarking on the more invasive interventions..

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115). Also available on the Internet.

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