Disputed ‘acupressure’ remedy from China that ‘tries to stimulate invisible energy lines’ could actually help relieve knee pain, study suggests
A controversial alternative treatment known as acupressure may ease the pain of knee arthritis, a study suggests.
Patients suspected of having the condition reported significantly less pain after three months of treatment than others studied in the trial, the researchers found.
Traditional Chinese medical practice involves stimulating ‘acupoints’ – invisible energy lines that are said to exist around the body – to provide health benefits.
Unlike acupuncture, which uses needles to prick the skin at these points, acupressure uses the fingers to apply pressure.
Proponents claim the practice can alleviate a host of problems, from anxiety to joint pain.
The study required patients to self-administer acupressure to their knees in addition to physiotherapy exercises at home (stock image)
Results from the study suggested that using acupressure can actually reduce knee pain in people with arthritis in the joint
Acupressure was a controversial part of a recent episode of Dragons’ Den with saleswoman Giselle Boxer (pictured)
She sought investment for sticky ‘ear seeds’ that provided acupressure which she claimed helped her with her ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome
However, the evidence is often conflicting, with some studies showing an effect and others showing little benefit.
The treatment was recently in the news after Dragons’ Den contestant Giselle Boxer claimed on the BBC1 show that adhesive acupressure ‘ear seeds’ (tiny beads on the ears) helped her heal from chronic fatigue disease ME.
The subsequent backlash from patients, who pointed out there was no evidence they worked, led to the BBC withdrawing the show before it was reinstated with a disclaimer.
However, the latest research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows promise for knee pain.
A total of 314 study participants, with an average age of 63 years, received two training sessions in self-administration of acupressure on their knees, in addition to physiotherapy exercises at home, and were instructed to perform both treatments twice a day for 12 weeks.
A control group received only instructions about physiotherapy. Both groups were assessed with questionnaires to measure their knee pain.
The acupressure patients reported 46 percent less pain after the treatment period than the other group. However, stiffness levels were not different between groups.
Osteoarthritis of the knee affects an estimated 5.4 million people, mainly over 50s, in Britain. Apart from joint replacement surgery, there are no effective treatments.
“Self-administered acupressure has been used for various pain conditions and it could be an effective treatment for knee pain,” said the Hong Kong-based study authors.