Effects of a single session of acupuncture on suboccipital muscles: hamstring flexibility and proprioception

Eun-song KIM; Jae-keun Oh; Jin-Ho Yoon; KIM, Eun-song; Oh, Jae-keun; Yoon, Jin-Ho

doi:10.13048/jkm.25001

JKM > Volume 46(1); 2025 > Article

KIM, Oh, and Yoon: Effects of a single session of acupuncture on suboccipital muscles: hamstring flexibility and proprioception

Original Article

The Journal of Korean Medicine 2025; 46(1): 1-14.

Published online: March 01, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.25001

Effects of a single session of acupuncture on suboccipital muscles: hamstring flexibility and proprioception

Eun-song KIM¹^{, *}

, Jae-keun Oh²

, Jin-Ho Yoon³

¹Graduate School, Korean National University of Physical Education

²Department of Healthcare, Korean National University of Physical Education

³Department of Physical Education, Korean National University of Physical Education

Correspondence to: Eun-Song KIM, Graduate school, Korean National University of Physical Education 1239, Yangjae-daero, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Tel: +82-2-410-6954, E-mail: art2k@naver.com

Received August 22, 2024 Revised November 6, 2024 Accepted February 13, 2025

Abstract

Objectives

This study was conducted to investigate the immediate effect of a single session of acupunture to suboccipital muscle on the hamstring flexibility and proprioception.

Methods

Forty-two adult men who exercise at least twice a week were randomized to the acupuncture group (n=14), the sham acupuncture group (n=14), and the self-myofascial release group (n=14). Hamstring flexibility test, cervical joint position error test, and lower extremity proprioception test (Tandem romberg test) were measured immediately before and after the intervention. Two-way ANOVA with Repeated measures was performed to verify the effect. Differences between groups were analyzed using the independent sample t-test, and differences between time periods within each group were analyzed using the paired t-test. All statistical significance levels were set to p<.05.

Results

Hamstring flexibility showed significant differences in the acupuncture group (left, p=.001; right, p<.001) and in the self-myofascial release group (left, p=.038; right, p=.004). There was no significant difference of lower extremities proprioception according to the intervention method.

Conclusions

Acupuncture treatment was shown to be effective in increasing hamstring flexibility immediately, and it is thought to have a similar level of effect with self-myofascial release.

Keywords: Acupuncture, Hamstring flexibility, suboccipital muscle, proprioception

Fig. 1

Flowchart for the Study

Fig. 2

Assessment of hamstring flexibility

Fig. 3

Assessment of lower limb proprioception

Fig. 4

Location of GB 20

Fig. 5

Location of BL 20

Fig. 6

Method of sham Acupuncture group

Fig. 7

Method of self myofacialrelease group

Fig. 8

Changes in left hamstring flexibility between groups and time

Fig. 9

Changes in right hamstring flexibility between groups and time

Fig. 10

Changes in average tandem rombergtest between groups and time

Table 1

Characteristics of Subjects

	N	Age	Height	Weight	BMI
Acupuncture	14	27.0±3.2	173.2±5.0	72.5±15.8	24.0±4.4
Sham acupuncture	14	26.2±3.4	172.7±5.8	69.3±7.8	23.2±2.7
self-myofacial release	14	28.0±2.9	171.9±4.0	69.1±6.8	23.3±2.0
Total	42	27.0±3.2	172.6±4.9	70.3±10.7	23.5±3.2

Table 2

Changes in Left Hamstring Flexibility between Groups and Time (°)

Group	Pre-intervention(A)	Post-intervention(B)	MD† (B-A)	Sig‡
Acupuncture	142.29 ± 12.54	149.14 ± 11.60	6.85**	Time	<0.001
Sham acupuncture	145.21 ± 7.27	145.86 ± 8.69	0.65	Time× Group	0.038
self-myofacial release	144.79 ± 8.79	149.21± 9.41	4.42*	Group	0.904

Statistics analysis using Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures Between-time post hoc comparison(Paired t-test);

* p<.05,

** p<.001;

† MD, mean difference;

‡ Sig, significant;

Table 3

Changes in Right Hamstring Flexibility between Groups and Time (°)

Group	Pre-intervention(A)	Post-intervention(B)	MD† (B-A)	Sig‡
Acupuncture	143.14 ± 10.84	150.07 ± 11.03	6.92**	Time	<0.001
Sham acupuncture	143.71 ± 10.97	145.43 ± 10.08	1.71	Time× Group	0.008
self-myofacial release	145.90 ± 9.28	148.93 ± 7.84	3.02*	Group	0.735

Statistics analysis using Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures Between-time post hoc comparison(Paired t-test);

* p<.05,

** p<.001;

† MD, mean difference;

‡ Sig, significant;

Table 4

Changes in Average Tandem Romberg Test between Groups and Time (second)

Group	Pre-intervention(A)	Post-intervention(B)	MD† (B-A)	Sig‡
Acupuncture	48.41 ± 37.05	58.25 ± 36.03	9.84	Time	0.309
Sham acupuncture	61.43 ± 36.89	66.03 ± 40.24	4.60	Time× Group	0.600
self-myofacial release	59.79 ± 32.35	58.79 ± 35.08	1.00	Group	0.714

Statistics analysis using Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures

† MD, mean difference;

‡ Sig, significant;

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