Objective: Explore effective methods and mechanisms of acupuncture of treatment of acute and chronic muscular injury.

Methods: Clinical treatment is done by obliquely puncturing: A-Shi points. Experimental study is performed by analyzing the ultra structure changes of musculus vastus and, changes of immune location and mark density of musculus contractile proteins after large load of exercises and acupuncture stimulation under electron microscope.

Results: From 1975 to April of 1993, 870 cases of patients were treated with the application of oblique acupuncture in A-Shi points, the cure rate was 65.86%, and the obviously effective rate 29.77%. Remarkable effect such as softness of cords, pain-relief, functional recovery happened a few seconds after needling. Under electron-microscopic observation, acupuncture could correct the disarrangement of ultra structure of the injured muscles, meanwhile improve immune mark density of musculus contractile proteins and relative contractile structure. Besides, a series of animal experiments after exclusion of meridian and neural fluid actions, even experiment of isolated musculus gastrocnemius demonstrated that oblique needling could effectively enhance the contractility of the musculus gastrocnemius and promote recovery of the membrane potentials.

Conclusion: Oblique needling in A-Shi points combined with finger needling can treat muscular injury and its resultant pain of the shoulder, low back, buttocks, legs, it possesses outstanding merits including high and rapid, lasting and stable curative effect, short treating course, low cost, simple manipulation and so on.
The results of this study prove that acupuncture stimulation assembly and synthesis of the contractile proteins may contribute to the recovery of the function and structure of the injured muscles and the pain-relief.

By Lu Dinghou, Zhang Zhilian, Duan Siping, Qu Zhuqing