Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of joint mobilization (JM) combined with acupuncture (AC) for treatment pain, physical function and depression in poststroke patients. Methods: A total of 69 poststroke patients were randomly assigned to the JM+AC group (n = 23), the JM group (n = 23), and the control group (n = 23). Patients in the JM+AC group and the JM group received JM for 30 minutes, twice a week for 12 weeks, and the JM+AC group received AC for 30 minutes separately once a week. The control group did not receive JM or AC. Pain (visual analog scale, shoulder pain and disability index, Western Ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis index), physical function (range of motion, 10-m walking speed test, functional gait assessment, manual function test, activities of daily living scale, instrumental activities of daily living scale), and depression (center for epidemiologic studies depression scale, Beck depression inventory) were assessed for each patient before and after the 12 weeks of intervention. Results: Pain and physical function were improved significantly in the JM+AC group compared with the JM and control groups. Physical function and depression were improved significantly in the JM+AC and JM groups compared with the control group. Conclusion: The treatment of JM combined with AC improved pain, depression, and physical function of poststroke patients with chronic neuropathic pain in this study. This valuable finding provides empirical evidence for the designing therapeutic interventions and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

This clinical trial was registered with the Korean Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) approved by the WHO. Registration number: KCT0007924. Date registered: 22/11/2022, retrospectively registered. No dropouts or adverse events were reported.

https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do/23449

The authors received no specific funding for this work.

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This study complied with the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Dankook University (DKU No: 2021-05-046).

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