What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combining Canggui Tanxue acupuncture with scapular stabilization training for managing rotator cuff injuries.

April 17, 2026Open Access

Comparative Efficacy of Canggui Tanxue Acupuncture Combined with Scapular Stabilization Training versus Scapular Stabilization Training Alone for Rotator Cuff Injury: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Key Points

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combining Canggui Tanxue acupuncture with scapular stabilization training for managing rotator cuff injuries.
Retrospective cohort study analyzing 160 patients treated for mild-to-moderate rotator cuff injuries.
Patients divided into two groups: those receiving scapular stabilization training (SST) alone and those receiving SST plus acupuncture.
Outcomes measured included shoulder function, pain intensity, range of motion, and quality of life.
The acupuncture group had significantly higher ASES scores (93.31) compared to SST alone (81.42).
VAS scores for pain intensity were lower in the acupuncture group (2.09) than in the control group (3.52).
The combination led to greater improvements in range of motion, particularly in external rotation (80.40 vs. 65.59).
Clinical efficacy rates were higher in the combination group: 76.25% excellent outcomes vs. 47.50% for SST alone.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of combining Canggui Tanxue acupunc-ture combined with scapular stabilization training (SST) versus SST alone for mild-to-moderate rotator cuff injuries (RCI) in a real-world clinical setting. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 160 patients with mild-to-moderate RCI treated at Department of Acupuncture, Hainan General Hospital between January 2024 and June 2025. Patients were categorized into two groups based on treatment received: SST alone (Control group, n = 80) and SST plus Canggui Tanxue acupuncture (Combination group, n = 80). Primary outcomes included shoulder function (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons ASES score), pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale VAS), active range of motion (ROM), quality of life (Short Form-36 SF-36), and clinical efficacy rates. Data were extracted from electronic medical records. Results: The Combination group demonstrated significantly superior outcomes compared to the Control group: higher ASES scores (93.31 ± 9.09 vs. 81.42 ± 8.45, P < 0.001), lower VAS scores (2.09 ± 0.48 vs. 3.52 ± 0.93, P < 0.001), greater ROM improvements (e.g. external rotation: 80.40 ± 8.22 vs. 65.59 ± 7.86, P < 0.001), and higher SF-36 scores (80.51 ± 8.48 vs. 65.44 ± 8.29, P < 0.001). Clinical efficacy rates were superior in the Combina-tion group (excellent: 76.25% vs. 47.50%; total efficacy: 93.75% vs. 77.50%, P < 0.001). Effect sizes were large for ASES (Cohen’s d=1.42) and VAS (d=− 1.89). The number needed to treat (NNT) for achieving excellent efficacy was 3.48. Conclusions and Implications: The study demonstrates that integrating Canggui Tanxue acupuncture with SST yields clinically meaningful improvements in shoulder function, pain relief, and quality of life for mild-to-moderate RCI patients, surpassing SST alone. These findings support the adoption of this combined approach in routine clinical practice, particularly given its high efficacy (NNT = 3.48) and large effect sizes. Keywords: rotator cuff injury, acupuncture, Canggui Tanxue, scapular stabilization, real-world evidence, retrospective cohort study

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