OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of rehabilitation training (RT) combined with intradermal needling, RT combined with acupuncture and RT alone on core muscle stability in children with cerebral palsy, and to explore the superior therapy to improve core muscle stability in children with cerebral palsy.

METHODSA total of 120 children with cerebral palsy aged from 2 to 4 years old were randomly divided into a RT and intradermal needling group (group A), a RT and acupuncture group (group B) and a RT group (group C), 40 cases in each one. The patients in the group C were treated with kinesitherapy and core muscle stability training, once a day. Along with identical RT of group C, the patients in the group B were treated with acupuncture (once a day), while the patients in the group A were treated with intradermal needling at Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Mingmen (GV 4), Jiaji (EX-B 2, L-L), and 4-week treatment was taken as one course. The integrated electromyography (iEMG) of surface electromyography, root mean square (RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of erector spinae muscles, Berg balance scale as well as B area (siting), C area (climbing and kneeling), D area (standing) and E area (walking, running and jumping) of gross motor function measure (GMFM) were compared before and after 3-course treatment.

RESULTS① Compared before treatment, the iEMG and RMS of erector spinae muscles in the group A and group B as well as MPF in the group A were all increased after treatment (all <0.05); after treatment, all the electromyography indexes in the group A were higher than those in the group B and group C (all <0.05); the RMS in the group B was higher than that in the group C (<0.05). ② Compared before treatment, the Berg balance scale was all increased after treatment in the three groups (all <0.05), and the scale in the group A was higher those that in the group B and group C (both <0.05). ③ Compared before treatment, the B area and C area of GMFM in the three groups as well as D area in the group A and group B were all improved after treatment (all <0.05); the B area, C area and D area in the group A and group B were higher than those in the group C (all <0.05); the B area and C area in the group A were higher than those in the group B (both <0.05).

CONCLUSIONBased on RT, the intradermal needling could better improve core muscle stability and balance-motor ability in children with cerebral palsy, which is superior to regular acupuncture and RT alone.