A Retrospective Chart Review of 114 Patients with Knee Pain at a Korean Medicine Hospital Who Had Been Involved in a Traffic Accident

Background: This study aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics of patients with knee pain caused by traffic accidents and test the effectiveness of Korean medicine (KM) treatment. Methods: The medical charts of 114 inpatients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident were reviewed from July 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019 at Bucheon Jaseng Hospital of KM. The patients' demographics including gender, age, period of hospitalization, and type of pharmacopuncture and herbal medicine prescribed were reviewed. The Numeric Rating Scale scores and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores were used to assess subjective knee pain. Results: There were more females (55%) than males in this study. Patients were more likely to be in their 30s (27.2%), be hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%), treated with Hwangryunhaedok pharmacopuncture (78.1%), and be prescribed Hwalhyeoljitong decoction (62.3%).The mean Numeric Rating Scale score for patients with knee pain caused by a traffic accident decreased significantly from 4.26 ± 1.39 to 2.53 ± 1.60 (p < 0.001), and the mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score also decreased significantly from 32.72 ± 18.36 to 23.40 ± 15.80 (p < 0.001) following KM treatment. Conclusion: As a result of analyzing 114 hospitalized patients with knee joint pain due to TAs, inpatients were more likely to be female (55%), a patient in their 30s (27.2%), and be a patient hospitalized for 11-14 days (41.2%). KM treatment of traumatic knee injury using pharmacopuncture therapy and herbal medicine can be an may be effective at reducing pain, and healing functional disorders of the knee.