Effects of direct moxibustion at Stomach 36 on exercise-induced fatigue

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Moxibustion or Moxabustion is a form of traditional Oriental medicine where herbs are burned at or near acupuncture points to elicit improved balance and healing and remove or reduce blockages that may be present there as a result of fatigue and/or age. The acupuncture point Stomach 36 is frequently associated with moxibustion, in ancient and modern literature as well as modern clinical trials. This work will test the effects of direct moxibustion (burning of "moxa" on the head of an acupuncture needle) placed at Stomach 36 to derive restorative effects during fatigue associated with physical activity involving prolonged running or walking.

One particular acupuncture point frequently associated with this treatment is Stomach 36 (St. 36) as it has been linked in ancient literature as well as in modern clinical trials to a reduction of or elimination of fatigue through various sited mechanisms. In ancient literature the St. 36 moxibustion link is repeated as a treatment to avoid disease and improve longevity. (Yo*****o) in more modern clinical trials, acupuncture and/or moxibustion on this point has been studied for effectiveness for improving maximum oxygen uptake (Yo*****o) as well as to reduce hypertension through what is believed to be created by improved nitric oxide synthesis. (Kim, Pica, Duran & Duran) the location of St. 36 is as follows: "On the front of the leg, one hand width (four fingers) below the kneecap, on the outside, in the depression between the shinbone and the leg muscle. What can go wrong is that you may be locating it somewhat too low on the leg. The point is immediately one hand breadth below the kneecap, so if you'd use something thick, like a finger, you might get half a finger breadth to low. it's at the outside of the bone that's on the front of the lower leg, one finger breadth from the crest of that bone." (Yo*****o) This clinical trial will be an attempt to document courses of treatment using St. 36 and direct moxibustion after prolonged running, such as that which is present after training for cross country running. The hope is that marked improvement of symptoms of fatigue will be decreased in the study group as compared to two control groups one who will not receive treatment but will use standard methods of rest and continued training and a second who will receive St. 36 acupuncture without direct moxibustion. Moxibustion is actually thought of by Oriental Medicine practitioners as not a compliment to acupuncture but a stronger clinical treatment, associated with the use of warmth to restore circulation of the Qi along meridians.

Specific Aims:

To determine the validity of direct moxibustion in the treatment of fatigue caused by prolonged training in the form of long distance running in young healthy adults.

To determine the comparative effects of non-moxibustion acupuncture on St. 36 for treatment of fatigue from prolonged training in the form of long distance running in young healthy adults.

To determine the comparative effects of standard suggestions of rest and continued training for those who are not treated with either direct moxibustion or acupuncture at St. 36 in the same demographic.

Research Design:

Rationale-

The rationale of this study is to compare effectiveness of direct moxibustion to acupuncture alone or standard recommendations on recovery time and ability to perform during training and events related to long-distance running in healthy young adults.

Inclusion/Exclusion criteria-

Any individual on the team will be included or excluded based upon initial practitioner exam. If any individual reports previous catastrophic joint injury or disease, such as arthritis or other joint malformation, diabetes, heart disease or any other disease that would potentially put them at risk for exacerbation of symptoms, decreased standard circulation or potential injury they will be excluded from the study and counseled for support treatment of pre-existing conditions. All others will be included, on a voluntary basis.

Collection of Data-

Practitioner conducting all exams will be responsible for the collection of data, and researchers will be responsible for the collation results.

Analysis of Data-

Researcher, in conjunction with practitioner will qualitatively and quantitatively analyze results based upon initial (baseline) findings as well as post clinical follow ups, at the time of treatment (or lack of treatment) and at a follow up one week after treatment.

Expected Results-

Based on other research and historical documentation of the results of moxibustion treatment at St. 36 on fatigue there should be a marked difference between control group (non-treatment group) and acupuncture group and possible marked difference between both groups with the added treatment of direct moxibustion.

Possible Difficulties/Limitations-

Much of the information gained will be self-report based upon interpretations of the study participants, and it is frequently difficult to compare or even trust such qualitative information. The study group size will be limited to 30 participants (excluding those who are deemed unfit for the study) as that is the size of the cross country team to be studied, which could impact generalizabilty. Clinical interpretation by the practitioner could also be biased but this is less likely.