OBJECTIVETo observe the role of blood-letting puncture in the treatment of muscular injury. Methods One hundred and six cases with pulling injury of hamstring muscles were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group (n=55) were treated by electroacupuncture combined with blood-letting puncture at Ashi points on the injury part. The control group (n=51) were treated with simple electroacupuncture.

RESULTSBoth the 2 groups were effective. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in the therapeutic effect for the patient with a duration of illness of 1-14 days; but for the patient with the duration of illness of over 14 days, the treatment group was better than the control group (P < 0.05). For the patient with simple injury of the belly of muscle, the treatment group was better than the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBlood-letting puncture combined with electroacupuncture in the therapeutic effect on muscular pulling injury is superior to the control group, with treatment advantages for the patient with longer duration of illness and simple injury of belly of muscle.