In 2020, a randomized controlled trial led by Jia-Man Wu et. al., explores the efficacy of a novel approach to treating postpartum pelvic girdle pain. The study investigates the combined therapy of pelvic-sacral tendon-regulation needling technique of acupuncture and manipulative reduction compared to traditional manipulative therapy alone.

Eighty postpartum women with pelvic girdle pain were randomly assigned to either the observation group or the control group, with 40 participants in each. The control group received conventional manipulative reduction, while the observation group underwent additional treatment using the pelvic-sacral tendon-regulation needling technique of acupuncture. Acupuncture points included Mingmen (GV 4), Dachangshu (BL 25), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Ciliao (BL 32), Zhongliao (BL 33), Huantiao (GB 30), and Yanglingquan (GB 34). Both groups received treatments once every two days, three times a week, for a total of three courses.

The observation group exhibited a significantly higher total effective rate of 95.0% compared to the control group’s rate of 77.5%. Following treatment, both groups experienced reduced scores in the pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), pelvic floor distress inventory-short form 20 (PFDI-20), and pelvic floor impact questionnaire (PFIQ-7) (P<0.01). Moreover, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and the sex life index demonstrated improvements post-treatment in both groups (P<0.01). Importantly, the observation group consistently outperformed the control group in all measured indexes.

This study concludes that the combined therapy of pelvic-sacral tendon-regulation needling technique of acupuncture and manipulative reduction effectively reduces pain and enhances pelvic floor muscle strength in postpartum women with pelvic girdle pain. The observed therapeutic benefits surpass those achieved with simple manipulative therapy alone, highlighting the potential of this innovative approach in managing postpartum pelvic girdle pain.

Reference: Wu, J. M., Zhuo, Y. Y., Qin, X. L., Yu, X. Y., Hu, S., & Ning, Y. (2020). Pelvic-sacral tendon-regulation needling technique of acupuncture combined with manipulative reduction in treatment of postpartum pelvic girdle pain: a randomized controlled trial. Zhongguo Zhen jiu= Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, 40(3), 262-266.