To investigate the clinical effect of 50% hypertonic glucose injection into the shoulder joint combined with acupotomology in the treatment of shoulder pain after cervical spinal cord injury.

A total of 82 patients with shoulder pain after cervical spinal cord injury who were hospitalized in Department of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation，Ningbo Rehabilitation Hospital from July 2023 to April 2025 were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups according to the random number table method. The control group received limb joint range of motion training and limb function training （15–20 min per session， once daily， 5 times weekly）， while the observation group， on the basis of the control group's training， additionally received ultrasound-guided 50% hypertonic glucose injection combined with acupotomy for releasing shoulder pain points （once weekly， for a total of 4 weeks）； efficacy was assessed by comparing the pre- and post-treatment Constant-Murley shoulder joint scores， including pain score， activities of daily living score， passive range of motion score， and muscle strength score， and after 4 weeks of treatment， efficacy was further evaluated using shoulder score improvement rate and effective rate. Cured: no shoulder poin, markedly effective: reduced shoulder pain with shoulder score improvement rate of ≥50%, effective: shoulder joint score improvement rate between 20% and 50%, ineffective : shoulder joint score improvement rate <20%.

Within each group， the Constant-Murley shoulder joint scores of patients in both groups were significantly improved after treatment compared with those before treatment， and the differences were statistically significant （Z_{control group}=6.667，Z_{observation group}=6.035, both P<0.01）. In the intergroup comparison， the total Constant-Murley shoulder joint score of patients in the observation group （treated with high glucose injection combined with needle knife therapy） was improved more significant than the control group (t=6.962, P<0.05)， with remarkable improvements in pain （Z=-3.306, P<0.05） etc.. The 50% hypertonic glucose injection combined with needle knife therapy （administered to the observation group） could effectively relieve shoulder pain in patients with cervical spinal cord injury. Among the observation group patients， 20 cases were cured， 19 cases were marked effective， 2 cases showed effect， and the total effective rate was 95.12%, which was statistically significant compared with the control group (70.73%) (χ²=8.613, P<0.01).

Hypertonic glucose injection therapy combined with needle knife therapy can relieve shoulder pain in patients with cervical spinal cord injury， improve the motor and sensory functions of the upper limbs， and the therapeutic effect is remarkable.