In cases of a partial tear of the supraspinatus, which can heal non-surgically, the combination of acupuncture, TCM modalities and exercise prescription is an excellent treatment method to get the patient back to health and activity.
When a patient comes to see an acupuncturist with a partial tear of the supraspinatus, the following technique has proven to be very resourceful. The author created this technique “Acupuncture as an Assessment” to establish if acupuncture is a useful modality for treating the torn supraspinatus and provide a prognosis for the condition.
Check out this blog and video of a practitioner
who has a partial tear of the supraspinatus myotendinous junction from a recent Module IV: Neck, Shoulder and Upper Extremity course in the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification Program.
In the video, the practitioner’s supraspinatus tested painful and weak with manual muscle testing (MMT). After stimulating SI 12 (motor point of the supraspinatus) with a specific needle technique, the initial MMT assessment completely changed, which is a good sign that proprioception and strength has the potential to return without surgery. Proprioception and strength gains should be re-assessed every 2-3
weeks.
