국내 한의 재활치료에 대한 임상 연구 동향: 2000년 이후 연구를 중심으로 한 스코핑 리뷰 = Clinical Research Trends in Korean Medicine Rehabilitation in Korea: A Scoping Review of Domestic Studies Since 2000

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Objectives This study aimed to analyze the research trends over the past 25 years and identifying future directions for development of Korean medicine rehabilitation (KMR) research published in Korea from 2000 to present by conducting a scoping review.
Methods Following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework, five major domestic databases were searched for finding studies related KMR published between 2000 and July 2025. Eligible studies included conditions specified in the “Designation and Operation Project of Rehabilitation Medical Institutions” and those frequently treated with KMR. In vitro and animal studies, dissertations, and gray literature were excluded. Finally, included studies were analyzed by publication year, design, disease category, interventions, and outcome measures.
Results Of the 77 studies, 45 addressed central nervous system disorders and 32 focused on musculoskeletal disorders. Study designs comprised 29 original articles, 11 of reviews, 34 of case reports, and 3 of study protocols. The studies of central nervous system disorders mainly used Korean version of modified Barthel index, Fugl-Meyer assessment and manual muscle testing as outcomes, while those of musculoskeletal disorders employed numerical rating scale, visual analogue scale, range of motion, and Oswestry disability index, respectively. Among 54 studies assessing clinical effectiveness, interventions such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, physiotherapy, and chuna manual therapy were commonly applied, with most reporting significant improvements in functional recovery and quality of life compared with controls.
Conclusions KMR has shown generally positive therapeutic effectiveness, suggesting potential to improve functional outcomes and quality of life in rehabilitation care. Continued efforts to strengthen evidence through large-scale randomized trials, objective outcome measures, and integrative collaborative research seems to be essential for establishing a solid foundation and expanding its role in rehabilitation medicine. (J Korean Med Rehabil 2025;35(4):99-118