定量化拔罐治療於棒球運動員肩背部疲勞恢復之影響評估

Evaluation quantitative cupping treatment of recover of shoulder fatigue on baseball players

拔罐不僅為東、西方常見民俗或替代療法，許多文獻顯示拔罐不僅對於疾病或傷害治療具有相當功效，近年亦常應用於運動選手。在傳統拔罐治療，因未能提供明確之定量劑量，以致於拔罐無法被認定為正規醫學。目的：利用量化拔罐系統，以義守大學公開組棒球隊隊員作為實驗對象，將拔罐治療參數予以定量化，建置出最適當壓力、次數及時間之治療系統，探討拔罐對於棒球員肩背部疲勞恢復之影響。方法：隨機挑選40位受試者，於實驗前經專業骨科醫師診斷有9位患有背部肌筋膜炎症狀，經由4週定量拔罐治療及醫師診斷後5位已恢復成無肌筋膜炎症狀。研究中利用上肢功能受損程度問卷、牛津肩部得分表及測試皮膚彈性儀器等方式，評估拔罐對於減輕因肌筋膜緊繃所產生之肩膀壓力及改善疲勞恢復等感受。結果：上肢功能受損程度問卷受試前平均分數為3.68±0.71分、受試後為1.78±0.52分；牛津肩部得分表受試前平均分數為46.55±0.33分、受試後平均分數為47.28±0.21分；治療前拔罐前後皮膚彈性測試差平均為-.02、治療後拔罐前後皮膚彈性測試差平均為-.09，以上治療前後差異皆達顯著水準（p值＜.05）。結論：40位受試者於拔罐治療後有明顯減少肌筋膜炎症狀、減輕運動後所產生的肩膀壓力及改善運動訓練後所產生的疲勞。

Cupping is not only a commonly alternative therapy in Oriental countries, but also is prevailingly used for curing a cold or enhancing body immunity in Western countries. Though the theory of cupping exists in different regions and cultures, however, many documents and studies demonstrated that this alternative cupping therapy enables a curing effect on injuries or diseases. Nevertheless, cupping is still a non-quantitative treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. As a result, cupping is ultimately regarded as “folk remedy＂ rather than a regular therapy. The purpose of this study is to quantify the cupping treatment procedures by determining the quantities of vacuum pressure and treating time-period that are able to give a pain/stress relief from symptoms of back myofascitis. Especially, to reduce the shoulder fatigue induced by muscle fascia tension and improve the recovery of fatigue caused by heavy exercises. Method: A quantitative cupping system and the 40 baseball players in I-Shou university are selected as test subjects. 9 baseball players have been diagnosed with back myofascitis by the orthopedics. 5 baseball players recovered and without any obvious pain symptom of myofascitis after our designed cupping treatment system. This study used upper limb function impairment questionnaire, Oxford shoulder function questionnaire and skin elastic test to evaluate the relief of muscle stress and shoulder fatigue of cupping treatment after heavy exercises. Results: the statistical analyses showed that the average scores of the upper limb function impairment decreased from 3.68 0.71 to 1.78 0.52; the Oxford shoulder function score increased from 46.55 0.33 to 47.28 0.21; the skin elastic test difference score was -.02 pre-treated and -.09 post-treated. The acquired data all showed significant difference before and after the cupping treatment (p value ＜ .05). Conclusion: In summary, our designed cupping system with quantitative monitoring and setting could significantly reduce shoulder fatigue and improve the symptoms of myofascitis. This quantitative cupping system provided more versatile functions of cupping therapy than the other regular ones in the market.