OBJECTIVETo study whether acupuncture on the acupoints of the affected extremities was effective or not on the lower extremity spasm in spinal injury, and observe the tolerance of patients to acupuncture.

METHODSThe random controlled trial of single case was adopted among 9 patients. The heavy manipulation and gentle manipulation of acupuncture on the lower extremities, physical therapy as well as corresponding control therapy (acupuncture or other therapy on the upper extremities) were applied to each case separately for 3 cycles of treatment, totally for 29 weeks of treatments. The therapeutic effective outcomes were determined according to the index of clinical spasm, daily spasm frequency and the patient reported outcome.

RESULTSNone of the three therapies made the index of clinical spasm worse in 9 patients (all P > 0.05), and there was no significant statistical difference in comparison among three therapies (P > 0.05). Concerning to the improvement in daily spasm frequency, the result of heavy manipulation therapy was inferior apparently to the other two therapies (P < 0.05). The outcome report indicated that the patients were unwilling to accept the stimulation induced by heavy manipulation.

CONCLUSIONThe spasm induced by spinal injury can not be aggravated in tendency by acupuncture on the affected extremities. Thus, acupuncture is a kind of safe therapy for spasm. But the heavy manipulation of acupuncture may be the factor to impact the patient for the option of acupuncture treatment.