The role of auriculotherapy in early postoperative rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of auriculotherapy on early postoperative rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from March to September 2024 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and its affiliated consortium. Patients receiving auriculotherapy postoperatively were compared with a matched non-exposed group (selected by propensity score matching). The primary outcome was the change in knee joint active range of motion (AROM) from postoperative day (POD) 1 to POD 4 (Δ AROM). Secondary outcomes included Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scale, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) use, facial visual analog scale (F-VAS) and Tampa scale of kinesiophobia (TSK) scores, plus swelling measurements. RESULTS: Data from a total of 110 patients was collected in this study, with 84 (42 matched pairs) included in the final analysis. Compared with the non-exposed group, the auriculotherapy group showed significantly greater improvements in Δ AROM (40.60 ± 11.69° vs 29.41 ± 13.64°, p < 0.001) and HSS scores (p = 0.004). The auriculotherapy group also pressed their PCA button fewer times (p = 0.047) and exhibited reduced supplemental analgesic use (p = 0.004) and lower TSK scores (p < 0.001). Knee circumference and swelling were significantly reduced in the auriculotherapy group (p < 0.05). Trend analysis indicated significant between-group differences and interaction effects for AROM and kinesiophobia (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this observational study, auriculotherapy is associated with better early functional outcomes in early postoperative rehabilitation of patients after TKA. Randomized controlled trials are necessary to explore its potential effectiveness and underlying mechanisms.