Clinical studies on the efficacy of TCM tuina for the treatment of work related musculoskeletal disorders

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) refer to chronic injuries that are primarily caused by work place demands. WMSDs result in tremendous economic costs for many countries, since such injuries are often difficult to identify and treat. Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies like tuina and acupuncture have long been used to deal with musculoskeletal problems, and may provide a viable alternative for dealing with WMSDs. The aim of this project is to investigate the potential of TCM tuina in the treatment of WMSDs. 30 case studies were collected for this study, with all participants being required to have a WMSD(s) and undergo tuina treatment by the same TCM physician. The pain and mobility scores of the participants were recorded before and after every treatment session and the results were evaluated. All 30 patients noted improvements in their conditions directly after treatment, with an average pain reduction of 46.184% and an average range of motion improvement of 52.064%, after every tuina session. This preliminary study demonstrates that tuina could be an effective treatment methodology for WMSDs. However, further studies involving larger sample sizes, control groups and multiple TCM physicians need to be performed to confirm the accuracy of these results.Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science