2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (26): 4101-4106

Influence of Tuina manipulation on walking dysfunction in rats with sciatic nerve injury

Liu Xinhao1, Ma Xinran1, Yang Shengyong2, Wang Yanyu3, Ma Shujie3   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Tuina manipulation has definite effects on peripheral nerve injury. However, the behavioral effect of walking function is less involved in basic research.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Tuina manipulation on the improvement of motor function after adventitial suture of sciatic nerve transection in rats.
METHODS: A total of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: Tuina group, model group and normal group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats in the Tuina group and model group were established with adventitial suture model of sciatic nerve transection injury. In the Tuina group, a small animal Tuina manipulation simulator was used at the gastrocnemius muscle on the operation side to give Tuina manipulation once a day. Rats in the model group and the normal group were only fixed and bound in the same way as those in the Tuina group, and no other intervention was performed. At 1, 2, 3 and 4 months after the intervention, the catwalk small animal gait analysis system was used to collect gait data of rats in each group. Maximum contact mean intensity (MCMI), maximum contact area (MCA), stride length (SL) and swing speed (SS) were then analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Because of nerve injury, compared with the normal group, maximum contact mean intensity, maximum contact area, stride length and swing speed in the model and Tuina groups were significantly decreased at various time points after intervention (P < 0.05). With regeneration after nerve repair, maximum contact mean intensity, maximum contact area, stride length and swing speed in the Tuina and model groups recovered to varying degrees. The maximum contact area in the Tuina group was significantly lower than that in the model group 2 and 3 months after intervention (P < 0.05), while 4 months after intervention, the maximum contact mean intensity in the Tuina group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.05). Stride length and swing speed in the Tuina group were significantly higher than those in the model group at 3 and 4 months after intervention (P < 0.05). To conclude, Tuina manipulation can improve the gait dysfunction of rats with sciatic nerve injury and promote the recovery of motor function and overall coordination of the affected limb.

Key words: peripheral nerve injury, Tuina manipulation, gait analysis, motor function, rat