ArticleTrials2022
Cerebral mechanism of opposing needling for managing acute pain after unilateral total knee arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial.
Article in Trials, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and Safety of Electroacupuncture for Pain Alleviation in Post-Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of Contralateral Acupuncture (Geoja Technique) in Musculoskeletal Disorders Stratified by Pulse Strength Differences: A Retrospective Study.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- Article
- Altered Brain Functional and Effective Connectivity Induced by Electroacupuncture in Rats Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection.Journal of pain research · 2024Article
- Knowledge Mapping of International Research on Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: A Bibliometric Analysis.Journal of pain research · 2022Review
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundOpposing needling is a unique method used in acupuncture therapy to relieve pain, acting on the side contralateral to the pain. Although opposing needling has been used to treat pain in various diseases, it is not clear how opposing needling affects the activity of the central nervous system to relieve acute pain. We herein present the protocol for a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial aiming to explore the cerebral mechanism of opposing needling for managing acute pain after unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
methodsThis is a randomized sham-controlled single-blind clinical trial. Patients will be allocated randomly to two parallel groups (A: opposing electroacupuncture group; B: sham opposing electroacupuncture group). The Yinlingquan (SP9), Yanglingquan (GB34), Futu (ST32), and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints will be used as the opposing needling sites in both groups. In group A, the healthy lower limbs will receive electroacupuncture, while in group B, the healthy lower limbs will receive sham electroacupuncture. At 72 h after unilateral TKA, patients in both groups will begin treatment once per day for 3 days. Functional magnetic resonance imaging will be performed on all patients before the intervention, after unilateral TKA, and at the end of the intervention to detect changes in brain activity. Changes in pressure pain thresholds will be used as the main outcome for the improvement of knee joint pain. Secondary outcome indicators will include the visual analogue scale (including pain during rest and activity) and a 4-m walking test. Surface electromyography, additional analgesia use, the self-rating anxiety scale, and the self-rating depression scale will be used as additional outcome indices. DISCUSSION: The results will reveal the influence of opposing needling on cerebral activity in patients with acute pain after unilateral TKA and the possible relationship between cerebral activity changes and improvement of clinical variables, which may indicate the central mechanism of opposing needling in managing acute pain after unilateral TKA.
trial registrationStudy on the brain central mechanism of opposing needling analgesia after total kneearthroplasty based on multimodal MRI ChiCTR2100042429 . Registered on January 21, 2021.
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