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

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