The Effect of Chuna Manual Therapy for Shoulder Pain in Hemiplegic Patients after Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Copyright © 2020 The Society of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation Objectives The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for shoulder pain in hemiplegic patients after stroke. Methods For a systematic review and meta-analysis, we set a key question in accordance with participants, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design (PICO-SD). we searched for clinical studies that conducted chuna manual therapy for shoulder pain in hemiplegic patients after stroke 7 databases until September 2019. Only randomized controlled trials were chosen. Results Total 14 randomized controlled trials were chosen for systematic review and meta-analysis. 9 studies used efficacy rate as evaluation tool, and 8 used visual analogue scale. Pressure method (壓力型) was used in 11 studies, followed by osteopathy method (整骨型) and wave motion method (波動型) in 9 studies. Chuna manual therapy showed statistically significant pain reduction effect. Through meta analysis, Chuna manual therapy showed significant pain reducing effect except the study with Chuna manual therapy and electroacupuncture compared to electroacupuncture only. Conclusion As a result, Chuna manual therapy showed statistically significant effect in pain reduction. However, almost studies were evaluated in a state of having probable high risk of bias. This suggests that it requires attention to make an interpretation in this study. Furthermore, more clinical research need to be accomplished in the future. (J Korean Med Rehabil 2020;30(3):89-101)