Research Progress in Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Rotator Cuff Injury

Abstract

Rotator cuff injury is the most common cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction, with its incidence increasing with age. While modern medicine has made rapid progress in diagnosis (e.g., MRI) and surgical treatment (e.g., arthroscopy), it faces issues such as trauma, high costs, long postoperative recovery cycles, and suboptimal efficacy in some patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), based on the theories of “Jin Shang” (musculotendinous injury) and “Bi Zheng” (arthralgia syndrome), utilizes comprehensive therapies including internal and external herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, tuina, and acupotomy. These methods demonstrate unique advantages in alleviating pain, improving function, and promoting tissue repair. This article systematically reviews the clinical research progress of TCM in treating rotator cuff injury in recent years, summarizing findings from the perspectives of etiology and pathogenesis understanding, internal and external herbal treatments, characteristic external therapies (such as herbal external application, fumigation/washing, acupotomy, and meridian-sinew tuina), and comprehensive treatment plans. The analysis indicates that TCM treatment possesses the characteristics of holistic regulation, strong individualization, high safety, and ease of promotion, showing significant advantages especially in mild-to-moderate injuries and the postoperative rehabilitation stage. This article aims to summarize the application of TCM for rotator cuff injury in the past five years, hoping to provide references for clinical practice and scientific research.