Australian and Chinese authors of a systematic review have concluded acupuncture is effective for treating vertebral compression fractures associated with osteoporosis. The teams, from the Universities of Tasmania and Chengdu, included 14 randomised controlled trials involving 1130 patients in their meta-analysis.
Compared with control groups, acupuncture offered greater pain reduction at one week, one month and six months after treatment. It was also associated with fewer adverse events, lower disability index scores and higher bone density than controls.
(The Efficacy & Safety of Acupuncture for Treating Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture-(OVCF-) Induced Pain: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 29 September 2021.)