ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE POSTOPERATIVE RECOVERY OF HIP FRACTURE PATIENTS: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

"Both groups A and B will undergo standard postoperative management program. This includes conventional analgesia and physiotherapy POD 1, 2 and 3, followed by 5x/week until discharge, post-discharge, patients will continue physiotherapy 1-2x/ week for 3 months depending on their rate of recovery.~In addition, acupuncture treatment will be delivered for the treatment group. Acupuncture will be performed 2x/week from postoperative week (POW) 5 to POW 8, a total of 8 acupuncture treatments will be administered. From the 2nd to 8th treatment, electroacupuncture and infrared therapeutic lamp will be used. The acupuncture needles to be used for this study are Kinhong/MAC sterile acupuncture needles for single use. The needles will be left in situ for 20 minutes. Electrical stimulation will be delivered at 2Hz for 20 min, at an intensity below individual patient's pain threshold. 4 acupuncture points will be stimulated in pairs."

Standard postoperative management program includes: conventional analgesia and physiotherapy POD 1, 2 and 3, followed by 5x/week until discharge. Post-discharge, patients will continue physiotherapy 1-2x/ week for 3 months depending on their rate of recovery. No acupuncture given