目的：探討乾針治療肌激痛點對退化性膝關節炎的療效評估。
方法：三十個退化性膝關節炎病患被帄均分到兩組：「控制(安慰)組」受詴者接受經皮電刺激治療，治療位置在梁丘(ST34)、血海(SP10)、陰陵泉(SP9)、陽陵泉(GB34)穴位處；「實驗組」受詴者接受乾針治療，針刺以股四頭內、外側肌、脛前肌及腓腸肌內的肌激痛點。評估工具包括主觀疼痛強度、肌肉緊繃度、壓痛閾值、步態速度、西安大略和麥克馬斯特大學骨關節炎指數(WOMAC)與膝關節炎病人疼痛指數評分表問卷，並評估患者立即、一週、兩週療效差異。
結果：兩組相比，實驗組在主觀疼痛強度的立即、一週、兩週療效、西安大略和麥克馬斯特大學骨關節炎指數問卷的一週、兩週療效及壓痛閾值的立即療效有顯著差異。
結論：肌激痛點局部的主觀疼痛感可以透過乾針治療來抑制，且效果似乎比電療組來的更好，在退化性膝關節炎病人整體活動的表現上也有助益。
Background: To evaluate the efficacy of dry needling in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods: Thirty knee OA subjects were divided into two groups on average. Participants in the "control group" received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The treatment location is at the acupoints of Liangqiu (ST34), Xuehai (SP10), Yinlingquan (SP9) and Yanglingquan (GB34). Subjects in the "experimental group" received dry needling on the myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles. Assessment tools include visual analogue scale (VAS), tissue hardness, pressure pain threshold, gait speed test, Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index and Lequesne’ index are applied immediately, one week , and two week later.
Results: Compared with the two groups, the experimental group had significant differences in immediate efficacy of VAS, WOMAC, and pressure pain threshold; one week and two week efficacy of VAS and WOMAC Index.
Conclusions: The MTrPs can be suppressed by dry needling, and the efficacy seems better than the TENS group. Dry needling is also helpful in the overall performance of patients with knee osteoarthritis.
