Clinical Study on the Treatment of Upper Limb Dysfunction in Stroke Patients Using Ultrasound-Guided Electroacupuncture

This study aimed to compare the effects of electroacupuncture on traditional acupoints and muscle belly of different target muscles against upper limb dysfunction in stroke patients with hemiplegia. A total of thirty-nine stroke patients with subacute hemiplegia were randomly divided into the control group (n = 19) and observation group (n = 20). The control group was treated with physical therapy and normal electroacupuncture, while the observation group was treated with physical therapy and ultrasound-guided electroacupuncture on the muscle belly. After three weeks' intervention, the scores of Barthel Index, Fugl-Meyer assessment and Action Research Arm Test were compared between the two groups. Before the intervention, there were no significant differences in the scores of Barthel Index, Fugl-Meyer assessment and Action Research Arm Test between these two groups. After three weeks' intervention, there was significant increase in the scores of Barthel Index, Fugl-Meyer assessment, and Action Research Arm Test between the observation and control groups. Electroacupuncture on muscle belly under ultrasound guidance could significantly improve the performance of activities of daily living, motor function and the upper limb function in patients with subacute hemiplegia after stroke, and its effect was superior to electroacupuncture on the acupoints.