OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy differences between fire needling technique of filiform needle at high stress points and regular acupuncture on chrondromalacia patellae so as to provide the better therapy for the treatment of this disease.

METHODSSixty cases of chrondromalacia patellae were randomized into a fire needling group (28 cases) and a routine acupuncture group (32 cases). In the fire needling group, 5 to 6 high stress points were localized according to the symptoms, palpation and imaging condition and were stimulated with fire needling technique of filiform needle. The treatment was given once every two days, 5 treatments made one session. In the routine acupuncture group, the regular acupuncture was applied at Dubi (ST 35), Xiguan (LR 7), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. The treatment was given once every day, 5 treatments made one session. Lysholm score, VSA score, patella title angle (PTA) and lateral patella angle (LPA) of the affected knees before and after treatment, as well as the clinical efficacy after treatment were observed in the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, Lysholm score, VSA score, PTA and LPA were all improved apparently in the two groups (all P < 0.01). After the treatments, the improvements in Lysholm score, VSA score, PTA and LPA in the fire needling group were more obvious than those in the routine acupuncture group (all P < 0.05). The effective rate was 92.9% (26/28) in the fire needling group, better than 87.5% (28/32) in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe fire needling technique of filiform needle at the high stress points relieves the clinical symptoms of chrondromalacia patellae and recovers the biodynamical structure of patellae.