Neuroanatomical Specificity of Acupuncture Points of the Shoulder Girdle

Acupuncture is a popular modality for treating shoulder pain and dysfunction. However, its reproducibility in shoulder-related clinical studies has been inconsistent. Several discrepancies were found between the systematic classical (Jia Yi Jing [JYJ]) and a modern standardized acupuncture text for the location of points on the shoulder girdle.

To define the neuroanatomical target of acupoint with respect to the shoulder girdle.

Transliteration of the location of shoulder girdle-related acupuncture points from the JYJ. Point locations from the JYJ were compared to the textbook Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion. A review of surgical literature, cadaver dissection, and response from electrical stimulation on healthy volunteers was used to propose new neuroanatomical targets for each acupuncture point.

Acupuncture points of the shoulder girdle corresponded to the following: dorsal scapular, spinal accessory, long thoracic, thoraco-dorsal, suprascapular, axillary, and pectoral nerves.

The present research verified the relationship between acupuncture points of the shoulder girdle and their corresponding neuroanatomical targets. This information increases the precision of acupuncture point stimulation and aids in the standardization of acupuncture point locations. It is expected to improve the interpretation of acupuncture studies on shoulder rehabilitation and future research design.