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C. Skordis1, S. Nanas1, A. Philippou1
1National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
Background: Acupuncture is especially popular in sports medicine and related fields. Relative studies have revealed that the prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among intercollegiate student athletes of University of Hawaii was 56%, higher than the respective in adults in the United States and Hawaii. This is because it is a more natural, safe and legal method as opposed to doping, affecting important functional parameters such as muscle performance.
Purpose: This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture on physiological, neuromuscular and hormonal parameters in aerobic sports.
Methods: The study protocol was based on PRISMA. The studies were selected by comprehensive searching through the following databases: PubMed, PEDro, Google Scholar, Cochrane and Taylor & Francis. A variety of key words entered in the search algorithm in a total of 54 potential combinations: “Acupuncture” “Traditional Chinese Acupuncture”, “Dry needling”, “Aerobic sports”, “Endurance sports”, “Physiological parameters”, “Neuromuscular parameters”, “Hormonal parameters”, “Haemodynamic parameters” “Strength”, “DOMS”, “Physical performance” and “Human performance”. A total of 436 articles was revealed. After title screening and application of inclusion -studies published in full text, athletes participating in aerobic sports, acupuncture as a sole treatment in the intervention group, at least one physiological/neuromuscular/hormonal examined variable- and exclusion criteria -systematic or semi-systematic reviews, reviews, meta-analyses, book chapters, theses-, 430 articles were removed and 6 studies were finally included. Methodological quality of the selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was evaluated with PEDro scale. Five or more was considered an acceptable score.
Results: The mean age of the participants in all 6 studies was 19.3 years (SD=4.56). One out of 6 studies was RCT and its score was 7 (i.e. of high methodological quality). In addition, 2 prospective feasibility and 2 experimental studies, as well as and 1 prospective, single-blind, patient as own control, crossover study were included in this systematic review. The majority of them was assessed Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and blood lactate concentration using a VAS scale and a lactate analyser, respectively. Other outcome measures were ROM of Straight Leg Raise (SLR) and hip internal rotation, perceived exertion, VO2, max, HR, max, secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cortisol level in saliva. The findings demonstrated positive effect of acupuncture in all the variables assessed.
Conclusion(s): This review provides strong indication that acupuncture can be practised in aerobic sports with initial positive indications. Further, high-quality research studies are required in order more reliable results to be collected. The evaluation of the effectiveness of acupuncture in other sports such as martial arts, or the comparison between biomedical and Traditional Chinese Acupuncture (TCA), or with other evidence-based therapeutic interventions is also needed, combining larger sample sizes and a matched-control experimental design.
Implications: The present systematic review provides initial evidence that acupuncture may contribute to improve physiological, neuromuscular and hormonal parameters in aerobic sports. Further, methodologically more solid research is required to support the suggestion for the use of acupuncture in usual clinical practice.
Funding, acknowledgements: N/A
Keywords: Acupuncture, Aerobic sports, Physiological/Neuromuscular/Hormonal parameters
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Committee: Ethics committee of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Reason: The type of this study (systematic review) does not require ethics approval
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
