{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7214600262","doi":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","title":"Acupuncture as an Adjunct to Rehabilitation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Reconstruction: An Anatomical and Neurophysiological Narrative Review","display_name":"Acupuncture as an Adjunct to Rehabilitation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Reconstruction: An Anatomical and Neurophysiological Narrative Review","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-09-28","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7214600262","doi":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","pmid":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42953464","pmcid":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/13714675"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.7759/cureus.117053","doi":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","pdf_url":"https://www.cureus.com/articles/535984-acupuncture-as-an-adjunct-to-rehabilitation-after-anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury-and-reconstruction-an-anatomical-and-neurophysiological-narrative-review.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2738950867","display_name":"Cureus","issn_l":"2168-8184","issn":["2168-8184"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","poland-20","russia-white-list-2","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310316779","host_organization_name":"Cureus, Inc.","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310316779"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Cureus, Inc."],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Cureus","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"review","indexed_in":["crossref","pubmed"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"diamond","oa_url":"https://www.cureus.com/articles/535984-acupuncture-as-an-adjunct-to-rehabilitation-after-anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury-and-reconstruction-an-anatomical-and-neurophysiological-narrative-review.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5153364309","display_name":"Dimitrios Kagkarakis","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dimitrios Kagkarakis","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5048457095","display_name":"\u0391lexandros Samolis","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Alexandros Samolis","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5047824781","display_name":"Dimosthenis Chrysikos","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4398-7557","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4398-7557"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dimosthenis Chrysikos","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5148336651","display_name":"George Triantafyllou","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"George Triantafyllou","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5006847366","display_name":"George A. Tsakotos","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8559-8969","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8559-8969"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"George Tsakotos","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5074489678","display_name":"Maria Piagkou","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-8005","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-8005"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I200777214","display_name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","ror":"https://ror.org/04gnjpq42","country_code":"GR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}],"countries":["GR"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Maria Piagkou","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GRC","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5074489678"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I200777214"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.64621285,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"18","issue":"9","first_page":"e117053","last_page":"e117053"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11327","display_name":"Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies","score":0.9609000086784363,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2707","display_name":"Complementary and alternative medicine"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11327","display_name":"Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies","score":0.9609000086784363,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2707","display_name":"Complementary and alternative medicine"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10442","display_name":"Knee injuries and reconstruction techniques","score":0.035999998450279236,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2746","display_name":"Surgery"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11068","display_name":"Tendon Structure and Treatment","score":0.00039999998989515007,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2732","display_name":"Orthopedics and Sports Medicine"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/27","display_name":"Medicine"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/4","display_name":"Health Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/acupuncture","display_name":"acupuncture","score":1.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury","display_name":"anterior cruciate ligament injury","score":0.9810000061988831},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/anterior-cruciate-ligament-reconstruction","display_name":"anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction","score":0.9850000143051147},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/rehabilitation","display_name":"rehabilitation","score":0.8730000257492065},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/neurophysiology","display_name":"neurophysiology","score":0.7990000247955322},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/knee-anatomy","display_name":"knee anatomy","score":0.48399999737739563},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/adjunctive-therapy","display_name":"adjunctive therapy","score":0.7229999899864197}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C71924100","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11190","display_name":"Medicine","level":0,"score":0.9642000198364258},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777056012","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1975444","display_name":"Adjunct","level":2,"score":0.8238999843597412},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778818304","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1819478","display_name":"Rehabilitation","level":2,"score":0.767799973487854},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3020000205","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2412849","display_name":"Narrative review","level":2,"score":0.7498000264167786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56837625","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q121713","display_name":"Acupuncture","level":3,"score":0.6888999938964844},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C99508421","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2678675","display_name":"Physical medicine and rehabilitation","level":1,"score":0.6383000016212463},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C1862650","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q186005","display_name":"Physical therapy","level":1,"score":0.5098000168800354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778434673","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q611127","display_name":"Anterior cruciate ligament","level":2,"score":0.48919999599456787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152478114","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660910","display_name":"Neurophysiology","level":2,"score":0.421099990606308},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2909686289","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18912826","display_name":"Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries","level":3,"score":0.3425000011920929},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C3020514300","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q121713","display_name":"Acupuncture therapy","level":4,"score":0.34060001373291016},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C140608501","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7318358","display_name":"Review article","level":2,"score":0.3154999911785126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777515770","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q507369","display_name":"Electromyography","level":2,"score":0.28119999170303345},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779473830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1540899","display_name":"MEDLINE","level":2,"score":0.27489998936653137}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":3,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.7759/cureus.117053","doi":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","pdf_url":"https://www.cureus.com/articles/535984-acupuncture-as-an-adjunct-to-rehabilitation-after-anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury-and-reconstruction-an-anatomical-and-neurophysiological-narrative-review.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2738950867","display_name":"Cureus","issn_l":"2168-8184","issn":["2168-8184"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","poland-20","russia-white-list-2","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310316779","host_organization_name":"Cureus, Inc.","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310316779"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Cureus, Inc."],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Cureus","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:13714675","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13714675/","pdf_url":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13714675/pdf/cureus-0018-00000117053.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2764455111","display_name":"PubMed Central","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I1299303238","host_organization_name":"National Institutes of Health","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1299303238"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Cureus","raw_type":"Text"},{"id":"pmid:42953464","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42953464","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306525036","display_name":"PubMed","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I1299303238","host_organization_name":"National Institutes of Health","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I1299303238"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Cureus","raw_type":"Journal Article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.7759/cureus.117053","doi":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117053","pdf_url":"https://www.cureus.com/articles/535984-acupuncture-as-an-adjunct-to-rehabilitation-after-anterior-cruciate-ligament-injury-and-reconstruction-an-anatomical-and-neurophysiological-narrative-review.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2738950867","display_name":"Cureus","issn_l":"2168-8184","issn":["2168-8184"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","poland-20","russia-white-list-2","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310316779","host_organization_name":"Cureus, Inc.","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310316779"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Cureus, Inc."],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Cureus","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"score":1.0,"display_name":"Good health and well-being","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/3"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7214600262.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7214600262.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":24,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2046362994","https://openalex.org/W2078052522","https://openalex.org/W2088873954","https://openalex.org/W2099247343","https://openalex.org/W2102676754","https://openalex.org/W2116863239","https://openalex.org/W2167910200","https://openalex.org/W2771384282","https://openalex.org/W3000036091","https://openalex.org/W3011539308","https://openalex.org/W3093466044","https://openalex.org/W3179403081","https://openalex.org/W3180620557","https://openalex.org/W3196641786","https://openalex.org/W3201235369","https://openalex.org/W4200044782","https://openalex.org/W4307499989","https://openalex.org/W4387077039","https://openalex.org/W4394919359","https://openalex.org/W4403978226","https://openalex.org/W4407782380","https://openalex.org/W7132817767","https://openalex.org/W7139076931","https://openalex.org/W7166087800"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W6887769477","https://openalex.org/W2380319103","https://openalex.org/W3135375753","https://openalex.org/W7073548038","https://openalex.org/W3093466044","https://openalex.org/W4416304187","https://openalex.org/W2052699601","https://openalex.org/W3154874030","https://openalex.org/W2401094482","https://openalex.org/W7221043279"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Pain,":[0],"effusion,":[1],"quadriceps":[2],"inhibition,":[3],"and":[4,18,33,39,55,67,78,110,121,141,176,186,194],"impaired":[5],"proprioception":[6],"are":[7,178],"common":[8],"challenges":[9],"during":[10,209],"recovery":[11],"from":[12],"anterior":[13],"cruciate":[14],"ligament":[15,222],"(ACL)":[16],"injury":[17,32,77,96],"reconstruction.":[19],"While":[20],"acupuncture":[21,59,89,108],"is":[22,40],"employed":[23],"in":[24,92,151],"certain":[25],"rehabilitation":[26],"protocols,":[27],"evidence":[28,112,165,214],"specific":[29,158],"to":[30,75,181,241],"ACL":[31,34,76,95,210],"reconstruction":[35],"(ACLR)":[36],"remains":[37],"limited":[38],"frequently":[41],"discussed":[42],"alongside":[43],"studies":[44,87],"of":[45,58,155],"chronic":[46],"knee":[47,103,114,175],"disorders.":[48],"This":[49],"narrative":[50],"review":[51],"investigates":[52],"the":[53,61,69,164,174,234],"surgical":[54],"neuroanatomical":[56],"foundations":[57],"around":[60,173],"knee,":[62],"summarizes":[63],"proposed":[64],"neurophysiological":[65],"mechanisms,":[66],"reviews":[68],"clinical":[70],"literature":[71,126],"most":[72],"directly":[73],"pertinent":[74],"ACLR.":[79],"We":[80,116],"conducted":[81],"a":[82,138,238],"comprehensive":[83],"PubMed/MEDLINE":[84],"search":[85],"for":[86,206,237],"involving":[88],"or":[90,97,133,157,232],"electroacupuncture":[91],"conjunction":[93],"with":[94],"ACLR,":[98],"supplemented":[99],"by":[100],"searches":[101],"on":[102,113,127],"sensory":[104],"innervation,":[105],"acupoint":[106],"neuroanatomy,":[107],"safety,":[109],"higher-level":[111],"pain.":[115],"also":[117],"examined":[118],"reference":[119],"lists":[120],"cited":[122],"articles.":[123],"The":[124],"extant":[125],"ACL/ACLR":[128],"includes":[129],"few":[130],"small":[131],"randomized":[132],"controlled":[134],"trials,":[135],"feasibility":[136],"studies,":[137],"case":[139],"report,":[140],"interventions":[142],"using":[143],"combined":[144],"approaches.":[145],"Some":[146],"investigations":[147],"report":[148],"short-term":[149],"improvements":[150],"pain,":[152],"swelling,":[153],"range":[154],"motion,":[156],"functional":[159],"parameters;":[160],"however,":[161,212],"heterogeneity":[162],"within":[163],"base":[166],"constrains":[167],"definitive":[168],"conclusions.":[169],"Commonly":[170],"utilized":[171],"acupoints":[172],"leg":[177],"located":[179],"proximate":[180],"periarticular":[182],"tissues,":[183],"muscle":[184],"afferents,":[185],"identifiable":[187],"peripheral":[188],"nerves,":[189],"rendering":[190],"needle":[191],"depth,":[192],"direction,":[193],"regional":[195],"anatomy":[196],"clinically":[197],"significant.":[198],"Acupuncture":[199],"may":[200],"serve":[201],"as":[202],"an":[203],"adjunctive":[204],"modality":[205],"symptom":[207],"management":[208],"rehabilitation;":[211],"current":[213],"does":[215],"not":[216],"support":[217],"claims":[218],"that":[219],"it":[220],"facilitates":[221],"repair,":[223],"enhances":[224],"graft":[225],"incorporation,":[226],"restores":[227],"mechanical":[228],"stability,":[229],"prevents":[230],"reinjury,":[231],"reduces":[233],"time":[235],"required":[236],"safe":[239],"return":[240],"sport.":[242]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-01T11:40:01.658920","created_date":"2026-09-29T00:00:00"}