To observe the effect of Chinese medicine directed drug penetration on knee joint function recovery after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on the basis of conventional rehabilitation combined with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) directed penetration therapy.

Eighty patients who underwent arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at the First People's Hospital of Taicang were divided into a treatment group and a control group (40 cases/group). The control group received motor function training and low-frequency pulsed electrical stimulation treatment on the medial head of the quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles, and they were treated once every other day, and low frequency pulse electrical stimulation before treatment. The range of active knee flexion and extension joint mobility (AROM), pain visual analog scale (VAS) score and bilateral leg circumference of the affected knees of the two groups were evaluated at four, eight and 12 weeks after surgery. The AROM of the affected knee was recorded, and the functional status of the affected limb was evaluated by Lysholm knee scoring. Chi-square test was used for comparison of counting data, t test was used for normal distribution in measurement data, and non-parametric test was used for non-normal distribution.

There was no significant difference in knee flexion AROM, VAS scores and bilateral leg circumference between the two groups before treatment (P> 0.05). The VAS scores of knee pain in the treatment group after four weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks of the treatment were lower than those of the control group (Z=-2.68, P <0.05; Z=-4.53, P<0.01; Z =- 3.84, P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in knee AROM between the two groups after four and eight weeks of the treatment (t=-0.08, -0.92, both P> 0.05). At 12 weeks of the treatment and six months after the operation, the knee AROMs in the treatment group was larger than that in the control group (t= -3.72, -4.42, both P<0.01). At four weeks, eight weeks, 12 weeks the treatment group had lower leg circumference than the control group (t =3.68, 7.14, 9.70, all P<0.01). The Lysholm score of the treatment group was better than that of the control group at six months after surgery (Z =1.90, P<0.01).

On the basis of conventional rehabilitation, combined with traditional Chinese medicine directional permeation medicine has therapeutic effects on knee joint active joint mobility, pain, and limb function improvement after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, which is worth popularizing and applying.