The Effect on Muscle Hardness of Acupuncture Stimulation Using Low-reactive Level Laser Therapy and Silver Spike Point Therapy, along with Stretching

Tadashi Sawada, Nao Tateyama, Takara Ikeda, Keisou Ishimaru, Tadashi Sawada, Nao Tateyama, Takara Ikeda, Keisou Ishimaru

Abstract

Background and aims: Muscle hardness causes lower activity in athletic practice or sport competition. Increase in muscle hardness often cause injury and muscle fatigue. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect on muscle hardness of acupuncture stimulation using low-reactive level laser therapy (LLLT) and silver spike point (SSP) therapy, along with stimulation by stretching.

Materials subjects and methods: Muscle fatigue was created experimentally, and the effect of LLLT was examined with the indices of muscle hardness and the pennation angle, using ultrasound diagnostic equipment with real-time tissue elastography (RTE) functionality.

Results: As a result, a combined use of stretching and SSP therapy was effective on muscle hardness, while LLLT alone had no immediate lowering of muscle hardness. In addition, only the laser stretching group demonstrated a significant decrease in the pennation angle.

Conclusions: This is because an improved local blood flow due to SSP therapy is considered to have relaxed muscle tonus, which boosted metabolism and removed algogenic substances. This became more effective through a combined use of stretching and low-power laser irradiation. Moreover, it was suggested that stimulation of the acupuncture points in the crus could have a further effect on muscle hardness and the pennation angle.

Keywords: laser acupuncture; low-reactive level laser therapy; muscle hardness; silver spike point therapy; stretching.

2020, Japan Medical Laser Laboratory.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Measurement of pennation angle. Pennation angle is defined as the angl between the orientation of a fascicle and the attached tendon axis.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Ultrasound diagnostic scanner. Noblus (Hitachi Aroka Medical, LTD, Tokyo, Japan) and L64 probe (5 – 18 MHz) were used in this study.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
RTE image of Real-time tissue elastography. B-mode image superimposed by the analyzed color-coded strain image indicating relative hardness of the region of interest.
Figure 4:
Figure 4:
Measurement of Strain Ratio. a, RTE-image; b, an acoustic coupler attached probe.
Figure 5:
Figure 5:
Low level laser used in this study. JQ-W1 (Minato Medical Science Co, LTD, Osaka, Japan).
Figure 6:
Figure 6:
Cnengjin and Cnengshan acupoints.
Figure 7:
Figure 7:
Ankles 30-degree dorsiflexion on the stretching board.
Figure 8:
Figure 8:
SSP stimulator and electrodes. Cnengshan and Cnengjin were stimulated by SSP electrodes (Delta 0, Nihon Medix, Kashiwa, Japan) at a wavelength of 110 Hz for 20 minutes.
Figure 9:
Figure 9:
Experimental design and procedures.
Figure 10:
Figure 10:
SR change in LA, St and LLA.
Figure 11:
Figure 11:
SR change in St-LA, St-SSP.
Figure 12:
Figure 12:
Pennation angle change in LA, St and LLA.
Figure 13:
Figure 13:
Pennation angle change in St-LA, St-SSP.

Source: PubMed

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