ArticleBMC complementary and alternative medicine2016
Safe needling depths of upper back acupoints in children: a retrospective study.
Article in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of skin-to-bone distance in the interscapular region when measured in the prone position and in the seated position in a therapy massage chair.Journal of physical therapy science · 2025Article
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture: a review.Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan · 2024Review
- Computed tomography in measuring electrode insertion angle and depth for cricopharyngeal muscle electromyography.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2023Article
- Change of Safe Needling Depth at Acupoint GB21 according to Posture and Breathing.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2018Article
- Development of an ultrasound-imaging procedure and acquisition of ultrasound images of acupuncture points for safety and accuracy of needle insertion.Integrative medicine research · 2017Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAcupuncture is applied for treating numerous conditions in children, but few studies have examined the safe needling depth of acupoints in the pediatric population. In this study, we investigated the depths to which acupuncture needles can be inserted safely in the upper back acupoints of children and the variations in safe depth according to sex, age, weight, and body mass index (BMI).
methodsWe retrospectively studied computed tomography (CT) images of patients aged 4 to 18 years who underwent chest CT at China Medical University Hospital between December 2004 and May 2013. The safe depths of 23 upper back acupoints in the Governor Vessel (GV), Bladder Meridian (BL), Small Intestine Meridian (SI), Gallbladder Meridian (GB) and Spleen Meridian (SP) were measured directly from the CT images. The relationships between the safe depths of these acupoints and sex, age, body weight, and BMI were analyzed.
resultsThe results indicated significant differences in safe needling depth between boys and girls in most upper back acupoints, except at BL42, BL44, BL45, BL46, GB21 and SP21. Safe depths differed significantly depending on age (p < 0.001), weight (p ≤ 0.01), and BMI (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that weight was the most crucial factor in determining the safe depth.
conclusionsSex, age, weight, and BMI are relevant factors in determining the safe needling depths of upper back acupoints in children. Physicians should pay attention to wide variations in needle depth when performing acupuncture.
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