Acupotomy for shoulder pain: A protocol for systematic review

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder prompting many patients to seek treatment. Acupotomy is a common treatment for shoulder which has been widely used in hospitals. But its efficiency has not been scientifically and methodically evaluated. This protocol aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupotomy for treating shoulder pain. METHODS: Relevant studies will be searched from the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Weipu Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, SinoMed, and Wanfang Database. Two researchers will independently select studies, collect data, and assess the methodology quality by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. RESULTS: The systematic review will provide high-quality evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of acupotomy for shoulder pain as well as adverse events. CONCLUSION: The systematic review will provide evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy therapy for shoulder pain patients. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY 202130002.