In order to clarify the clinical significance of tenderness in the patients with low back pain, the tendernesses were measured on 32 points in 81 patients and 40 healthy volunteers.
The points which are well used in acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, were chosen as points for measurement, and are situated on the surface area in the low back and the lower limb.
In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm² was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points.
It was found that in the patients with low back pain, tendernesses appeared more significantly than in the healthy volunteers, and these points accorded with the tissues which were easy to accept the load in daily living and were along the nervetrunks. “Sharp tendernesses” appeared only in the patients.
It was suggested that tendernesses would be one of a consultation to know the condition of disease.

In order to clarify whether the difference in the appearance rate of tenderness exist between the patients with abnormal neurological findings and the patients without them, the tenderness were examined in 81 patients with low back pain.
In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm² was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points. The appearance of the tenderness were significantly greater in the group with abnormal neurological findings than in the group without them (P<0.01-0.05). The marked tenderness appeared along the posterior branches of lumbar and sacral nerves and sciatic nerve.
It was suggested that the tenderness would be one of the important index reflecting well the condition of the disease.

Effects of acupuncture stimulation on the lumbar area and those of electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve on blood flow to the sciatic nerve were studied using laser Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats. Changes in the nerve blood flow induced by acupuncture stimulation were not similar. Half of the blood flow responses correlated with changes in arterial blood pressure. In the other half, responses did not always agree with changes in arterial blood pressure. Electrical stimulation was administered to the sciatic nerve contralateral or ipsilateral to the blood flow measurement site. Electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral side increased nerve blood flow without increasing arterial pressure. Administraton of atropine slightly diminished the response. Contralateral nerve stimulation, changes in nerve blood flow were not accompanied by arterial pressure changes. These results suggested that nerve blood flow may increase without increment of the arterial pressure in response to certain types of acupuncture stimulation.