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Effects of acupuncture and heating on blood volume and oxygen saturation of human Achilles tendon in vivo

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture (dry needling) and heating (application of hot pack) treatments on the blood volume and oxygen saturation of the human Achilles tendon in vivo. Nine healthy males participated in this study. During the treatments (acupuncture and heating; both 10 min) and recovery period (30 min), the blood volume and oxygen saturation of the Achilles tendon were measured using red laser lights. During needle insertion, the blood volume and oxygen saturation of the tendon increased significantly from the pre-treatment level and these values remained high throughout the 30-min recovery period. During heating treatment, the blood volume and oxygen saturation of the tendon also increased significantly. Although the increased blood volume was not maintained after removal of the hot pack, the oxygen saturation remained significantly elevated throughout the 30-min recovery period. These results suggested that acupuncture and heating treatments enhanced the blood flow in the tendon. The long-lasting increase, especially with acupuncture treatment, in the blood supply to the tendon implies that these treatments may have therapeutic effects on injured tendons.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Mikiya Science and Technology Foundation and a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A) (18680046 to K. Kubo) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Science (Sports Sciences), University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan

    Keitaro Kubo

  2. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan

    Hiroyoshi Yajima, Miho Takayama & Nobuari Takakura

  3. Second Department of Physiology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Hiroyoshi Yajima, Miho Takayama & Nobuari Takakura

  4. Department of Physical Education, Kokushikan University, Tokyo, Japan

    Toshihiro Ikebukuro

  5. Hanada College, Japanese School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Physiotherapy, Tokyo, Japan

    Hideyuki Mizoguchi

Authors
  1. Keitaro Kubo
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  2. Hiroyoshi Yajima
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  3. Miho Takayama
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  4. Toshihiro Ikebukuro
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  5. Hideyuki Mizoguchi
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  6. Nobuari Takakura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keitaro Kubo.

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Communicated by Susan Ward.

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Kubo, K., Yajima, H., Takayama, M. et al. Effects of acupuncture and heating on blood volume and oxygen saturation of human Achilles tendon in vivo. Eur J Appl Physiol 109, 545–550 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1368-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1368-z

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