TABLE 1.

TCM syndrome Scoring Scale*.

Primary symptom	Normal (0 score)	Mild (2 scores)	Moderate (4 scores)	Severe (6 scores)
Pain at rest (VAS score)	0	≤3	3–7	≥7
Pain on activity (VAS score)	0	≤3	3–7	≥7
Dysfunction	None	Mildly restricted, able to perform normal activities	Significantly limited, but still able to care for themselves	Loss of activity function
Secondary symptom	Normal (0 score)	Mild (1 score)	Moderate (2 scores)	Severe (3 scores)
Swelling	None	Light swelling, no obvious indentation when pressing the swollen area with the finger	Swelling is obvious, but skin texture is still smooth, press the swollen part with a finger, and there can be obvious depression	Significant swelling, elongated skin texture, tense shiny skin, and even tense blisters
Ecchymosis	None	Ecchymosis pale purple, area <2 × 2 cm	Ecchymosis purple, area ≥2 × 2 cm but <4 × 4 cm	Ecchymosis dark purple, area ≥4 × 4 cm
Tongue and Pulse	Normal (0 score)	Mild (1 score)	Other (no score)
Tongue color	Light red	Dark purple or ecchymosis	Other ( )
Pulse condition	Normal pulse	Wiry and unsmooth pulse	Other ( )

*The TCM, syndrome score is the sum of the 3 primary symptom scores, the 2 secondary symptom scores, and the tongue and pulse scores. The score for the primary symptom is twice as high as the score for the secondary symptom and the tongue and pulse.