Keywords
Acupotomy
Hot wax therapy
Rehabilitation
Submitted : 2026-06-07
Accepted : 2026-06-22
Published : 2026-07-07
Abstract
Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy differences among hot wax therapy, acupotomy therapy, and their combined regimen in treating Stage I shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS). Methods: A total of 60 post-stroke SHS Stage I patients admitted to the Rehabilitation Department of Zhungeer Banner Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Mongolian Medicine from December 2024 to December 2025 were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: the hot wax group, the acupotomy group, and the combination group, with 20 patients in each group. The hot wax group received hot wax therapy combined with conventional rehabilitation; the acupotomy group received acupotomy release combined with conventional rehabilitation; and the combination group received both hot wax therapy and acupotomy release along with conventional rehabilitation. The treatment course for all groups was 4 weeks. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Edema Evaluation Score (EES), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (upper limb motor function) scores were compared among the three groups before treatment, after 2 weeks, and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, all three groups showed significant reductions in VAS and EES scores and significant improvements in Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor function scores compared to before treatment (P < 0.05). Inter-group comparisons revealed that the improvement in all outcome measures in the combination group was significantly greater than that in the hot wax group and the acupotomy group after both 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the acupotomy group demonstrated superior pain relief and edema reduction compared to the hot wax group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of hot wax therapy and acupotomy is more effective in alleviating pain and edema, and in promoting the recovery of upper limb motor function and activities of daily living in Stage I SHS patients, compared to either therapy alone or conventional rehabilitation. It represents a safe and effective comprehensive treatment approach.
References
Zhao YZ, Sa R, 2025, Research Progress of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in the Treatment of Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome. Marriage & Health, 31(22): 106–108.
Huang YJ, Lin YW, Xu RY, et al., 2022, Pathogenesis of Post-Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain and Application Progress of Clinical Rehabilitation Assessment. Chinese Manipulation & Rehabilitation Medicine, 13(22): 59–65.
Xiao YH, 2024, Clinical Observation of Motor Imagery Therapy Combined with Electroacupuncture for Stage I Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome, dissertation, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine.
Yu CJ, 2020, Efficacy Evaluation of Acupotomy Combined with Acupuncture and Rehabilitation Training in Intervening Stage I Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome, dissertation, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.
Zhang MM, Hao N, Li YL, et al., 2022, Wet Compress with Sanggui Shuangzhi Decoction Combined with Wax Therapy for Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome. Jilin Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 42(05): 566–569.
Neurology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Neurorehabilitation Group of Neurology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Cerebrovascular Disease Group of Neurology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, 2017, Chinese Guidelines for Early Rehabilitation of Stroke. Chinese Journal of Neurology, 50(06): 405–412.
Cao MJ, Zhang J, 2023, Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Combined with Manual Lymphatic Drainage on Edema Degree and Serum Levels of PGE2, HA and 5-HT in Patients with Stage Ⅰ Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome. Journal of Brain and Nervous Diseases, 31(04): 213–218.
Zhang F, 2026, Exploration on Rehabilitation Effect of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Therapy in Patients with Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome. Chinese Full-text Database of Typical Cases: 1–7.