Maemichi Toshihiro, Matsumoto Masatomo, Meguriya Shigeru, Furusho Atsuya, Yamashita Takashi, Tsutsui Toshiharu, Kumai Tsukasa
Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan.
Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, Saitama, Japan.
Front Rehabil Sci. 2024 Dec 12;5:1324000. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2024.1324000. eCollection 2024.
Low-frequency acupuncture is used to maintain skeletal muscle flexibility and improve joint range of motion; however, its definite effects are unclear. This study aimed to determine the effects of low-frequency acupuncture on muscle and fascial stiffness and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion.
The participants included 12 randomly selected healthy adults. The medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle was selected as the target muscle, and changes in hardness and dorsiflexion range of motion of the ankle joint in the deep fascia, muscle, and deep intermuscular fascia of the same region were measured before and after low-frequency acupuncture intervention. Acupuncture needles were inserted until they passed through the deep intermuscular fascia and electrically stimulated at a frequency of 2 Hz for 15 min. The 12 right legs were the intervention legs, and the 12 left legs were the non-intervention legs.
In the intervention leg, hardness increased in the deep fascia immediately after low-frequency acupuncture, but decreased in all regions (deep fascia, muscle, and deep intermuscular fascia) after 15 min. The rate of change in hardness was the greatest in the muscles and deep intermuscular fascia. Additionally, the ankle's dorsiflexion range of motion increased after 15 min. In contrast, the non-intervention leg showed no significant changes in stiffness or ankle dorsiflexion angle.
Low-frequency acupuncture may decrease muscle stiffness and improve fascial gliding. The change in hardness tended to be greater in the deeper areas.
低频针刺用于维持骨骼肌柔韧性并改善关节活动范围；然而，其确切效果尚不清楚。本研究旨在确定低频针刺对肌肉和筋膜僵硬程度以及踝关节背屈活动范围的影响。
参与者包括12名随机选取的健康成年人。选择腓肠肌内侧头作为目标肌肉，在低频针刺干预前后测量同一区域深筋膜、肌肉和肌间深筋膜中踝关节硬度和背屈活动范围的变化。将针刺入直至穿过肌间深筋膜，并以2 Hz的频率进行电刺激15 min。12条右腿为干预腿，12条左腿为非干预腿。
在干预腿中，低频针刺后深筋膜硬度立即增加，但15 min后所有区域（深筋膜、肌肉和肌间深筋膜）硬度均降低。肌肉和肌间深筋膜的硬度变化率最大。此外，15 min后踝关节背屈活动范围增加。相比之下，非干预腿的僵硬程度或踝关节背屈角度无显著变化。
低频针刺可能会降低肌肉僵硬程度并改善筋膜滑动。较深区域的硬度变化往往更大。
