[Clinical observation of moxibustion plus exercise prescription for patella tendinopathy of athlete].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects between moxibustion and inflammation therapy apparatus for patella tendinopathy of athlete. METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly assigned into a moxibustion group and a naturopathy group, 40 cases in each one. According to conditions,moxibustion was applied at the pain points of the terminal patellar tendon, Dubi (ST 35), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Liangqiu (ST 34) and Xuehai (SP 10), etc., once a day and 30 min a time. Besides, exercise prescription was used, including ice compress, pull relaxation and targeted common strength exercise, etc. While in the naturopathy group, the microwave probe of inflammation therapy apparatus was aimed at the pain points of the terminal patellar tendon, once a day and 20 min a time. Also, the same exercise prescription was implemented as the moxibustion group. Seven treatments were taken as a course and 2 courses were required. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for knee joint pain and clinical effects were observed. RESULTS: After treatment, the VAS scores decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both P<0.01),with more apparent one in the moxibustion group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the moxibustion group was 97.5%(39/40), which was better than 82.5% (33/40) of the naturopathy group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion combined with exercise prescription can effectively improve the pain induced by patella tendinopathy of the athletes, which is better than inflammation therapy apparatus.