Researchers in Portugal have found that acupuncture can improve walking gait in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Gait impairment was firstly evaluated in 20 patients using the 25-foot walk test. Individuals were then randomised to receive either acupuncture or sham acupuncture. True acupuncture was associated with a significant decrease in the time taken to walk 25 feet, with 95% of subjects showing an improvement. By contrast, changes in the sham group were not statistically significant, with only 45% of subjects showing an improvement.
(Effects of Acupuncture on Gait of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis . Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 14 April 2017.)