Overview

        The Tuina Biomechanics Laboratory, based on the construction of national key clinical specialties andnational key disciplines of TCM, as well as the Top Priority Discipline in Zhejiang (Acupuncture and Massage), isan open research base of Tuina in Zhejiang.

        The Laboratory, formerly known as the Qigong Research Laboratory of Tuina Medicine, was founded in October 1986. With the combination of medicine, teaching and research,research directionadjustment andcontinuous disciplinary development ofTuina in ZCMU, the basic research on spinal manipulation, especially onbiomechanics, has been flourishing.The Laboratory, based on the disciplinary construction of Tuinaand the Third Affiliated Hospital of ZCMU, researches on manipulation standardization and carries out biomechanical testing of manipulation and, basic experimental research on the mechanism of spinal manipulationand effects of Tuina on the human body.It also undertakes the teaching and training of undergraduate, master’s and doctoralstudents.

Research Directions

        Through scientific research and clinical teaching, the Laboratory carries out basic experimental research related to the mechanism of disease treatment byTuina manipulation. Its main research directions are as follows:

(1)Biomechanical mechanism, standardization and application of manipulation;

(2)Cervical vertigo treatment by Tuina manipulation;

(3)Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation treatment by Tuina manipulation;

(4)Characteristic therapy of pediatric diseases by Tuina manipulation.

        Its main research contents include(i) experimental research of lever positioning manipulation biomechanicaleffectson lumbar intervertebral disc; (ii) biomechanical testing and force effects of Tuina manipulation; (iii) Tuina manipulation effects on vertebral artery hemodynamics and morphology; (iv) development of knee rehabilitation therapy instrumentsunder biomechanical principles andactionmechanism; (v) joint effects ofmanipulation and gongfu; (vi) pediatric Tuina effect on antipyreticand intestinal motility.

        On the basis of experimental research, the Laboratory has formed standardized treatment protocols according to the requirements of evidence-based medicine. Since its establishment, the Laboratory has undertaken more than 30 projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province and of China, and Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Province. It also has obtained more than 20 scientific research achievements.

Research Staff

        The Laboratory has a strong technical force and talent echelon with a complete knowledge structure. Theresearch team is composed of 4 professors, 9 associate professors, 4 PhD and 16 master’s degree holders.Prof. Lv Lijiang,academic leader of the National Key Specialties of Clinical Practice and National Key Disciplines of Chinese Medicine, is the director of the Laboratory. Dr. Wang Xiaodong is the core researcher of the team, andProf. Fan Binghua and Prof. Bao Jiali serve as consultants.