Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic condition among middle-aged and elderly individuals, characterized by pain, limited mobility, and reduced quality of life. Cupping therapy applied to the hamstring muscles has been shown to promote muscle relaxation, enhance circulation, and alleviate pain; however, clinical research on this intervention remains limited in Vietnam. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate certain clinical and paraclinical characteristics, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of hamstring cupping therapy combined with conventional treatment in patients with KOA at the Hue Traditional Medicine Hospital.

Methods: A controlled clinical intervention study, was conducted on 84 patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) stage I, II, divided into two groups (42 patients each). Group 1 received Hamstring cupping therapy combined with electroacupuncture and the herbal formula Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang, while Group 2 was treated with electroacupuncture and the herbal formula only. Clinical outcomes including VAS, ROM, WOMAC score, and Traditional Medicine syndromes were evaluated at D₀, D₅, D₁₀, and D₁₅.

Results: The cupping group showed superior effectiveness: VAS decreased by -5.3 ± 1.0 compared to -3.2 ± 1.6; ROM increased by +19.9 ± 11.0° compared to +8.6 ± 11.1°; and the WOMAC score decreased by -33.5 ± 12.7 compared to -25.3 ± 12.1 (p < 0.05). Traditional Medicine syndromes improved in both groups, with better outcomes in the Intervention group; no significant adverse effects were recorded.

Conclusion: Hamstring cupping therapy combined with conventional treatment effectively reduces pain, improves function, and is safe, suggesting potential for clinical application