The influence of acupuncture therapy on early rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A randomized controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to determine whether acupuncture is effective in reducing pain and swelling around the knee and improving range of motion (ROM) during the early rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) reconstruction. Following ACL reconstruction, 80 patients were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture treatment group (Group A) or a control group (Group C). In Group A, the complementary treatment of acupuncture was performed three times week from postoperative day 7 until postoperative day 21. Outcome measures were:1) pain as assessed by a visual analog scale; 2) reduction of swelling around the knee as indicated by its circumference at the center of the patella; and 3) ROM of the affected knee.