Objective To explore the application effect of electroacupuncture therapy based on the theory of Foot⁃Taiyin and Foot⁃Yangming meridian sinews in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods A total of 136 patients after TKA were randomly divided into control group (n=68) or observation group (n=68). Patients in the control group received conventional functional exercise and analgesic therapy, based on which those in the observation group received additional electroacupuncture therapy based on the theory of Foot⁃Taiyin and Foot⁃Yangming meridian sinews. The knee joint pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at rest and during activity on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, knee joint range of motion and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee scores before surgery and on postoperative day 7, clinical efficacy, and the occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results  The VAS scores for knee pain at rest on postoperative days 3 and 7 and during activity on postoperative day 7 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The VAS scores for knee pain at rest and during activity decreased sequentially on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 in both groups (P<0.05). On postoperative day 7, the maximum knee flexion angle was greater than that before surgery in both groups, while the maximum extension angle was smaller than that before surgery; furthermore, the maximum flexion angle in the observation group was greater than that in the control group, and the maximum extension angle was smaller than that in the control group (P<0.05). On postoperative day 7, the HSS knee joints scores for the pain, function, range of motion, stability, flexion deformity, muscle strength dimensions, and the total HSS knee joints score increased compared to preoperative scores in both groups, and these scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with conventional postoperative analgesia alone, the combination with electroacupuncture therapy based on the theory of Foot⁃Taiyin and Foot⁃Yangming meridian sinews can better alleviate knee joint pain, promote the recovery of knee joint function, and demonstrates high safety in patients after TKA.

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