History

Established in 2007 as a TCM specialty clinic at Xinglin Garden, the department was officially designated as the Department of Soft Tissue Injury in 2017.

Accreditations & Honors

The department serves as a Key TCM Specialty Construction Unit under Guangdong Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine's 14th Five-Year Plan, and as a Shenzhen Municipal Characteristic TCM Specialty. It holds leadership positions including Vice Chairman of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch of the Chinese Association of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chairman of the Tendon Needle Professional Committee of the Shenzhen Acupuncture Association, Vice Chairman of the World Alliance of Manual Medicine, and Chairman of the Massage and Rehabilitation Medicine Committee of the Shenzhen Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The department hosts the inheritance workstation of Wei Guikang, a National Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the inheritance workstation of Professor Liu Nongyu's Tendon Needle Method. It also houses the Shenzhen Primary and Secondary School Students' Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment Center.

Leadership Professor Chen Xiaozhuan serves as the founder, academic leader, and administrative director, having built the department from the ground up and made outstanding contributions to its development. Associate Professor Chen Dayu serves as the ward director and reserve academic leader.

Clinical Focus & Research The department emphasizes TCM characteristics with diversified therapeutic approaches, adhering to the principle of "manual therapy as the foundation, acupuncture and herbal medicine as complementary support, and minimally invasive techniques as supplementary intervention." It specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, research, and education of various tendon-meridian disorders, including cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, knee osteoarthritis, frozen shoulder, rotator cuff injuries, adolescent scoliosis, thoracic facet joint disorders, transient synovitis of the hip, ankle sprains, tenosynovitis, and tendinitis.

The department also treats tendon-visceral disorders such as obesity, insomnia, cervical hypertension, and various sub-health conditions, as well as tendon-orifice disorders including tinnitus and urinary incontinence.

Drawing upon holistic syndrome differentiation concepts of TCM, tendon-meridian and collateral theories, and modern biomechanical principles, the department follows the guidelines of "comprehensive examination, syndrome-based treatment, internal-external combined therapy, and equal emphasis on tendons and bones." It has pioneered a personalized "3+X" diagnosis and treatment model for tendon injuries.

The department inherits the "Wei's Traumatology Manipulation" from National Medical Master Wei Guikang, the "Xingnao Kaiqiao (Brain Awakening and Orifice Opening) Acupuncture Method" from Academician Shi Xuemin, the "Painless Tendon Needle Method" from Professor Liu Nongyu, and the "Six-Dimensional Spinal Alignment Technique." It has introduced minimally invasive technologies and equipment such as acupotomoscopy for comprehensive and precise positioning, evaluation, and treatment.

Currently, the department offers over 30 characteristic TCM therapies, including Wei's traumatology manipulation, six-dimensional spinal alignment, Shi's acupuncture method, tendon needle therapy, and long-round needle therapy.

Current Status The department operates a 40-bed ward and outpatient clinic at the Futian Campus, a 26-bed ward and outpatient clinic at the Guangming Campus, and an outpatient clinic at the Luohu Campus. It also oversees the Tongxin Community Health Center and City Plaza Community Health Center.

The department comprises 50 medical staff members: 25 physicians, 3 rehabilitation therapists, and 22 nurses. The medical team includes one Shenzhen Municipal Eminent TCM Practitioner, one academic inheritance mentor, and two master's degree supervisors.

Recognized as a "Famous Specialty" under the fourth batch of Shenzhen's Medical and Health Project, the department has significantly strengthened its academic capabilities. In 2023, it welcomed the TCM Orthopedics and Soft Tissue Injury team led by National Medical Master Wei Guikang from Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, establishing both the inheritance workstation of National Medical Master Wei Guikang and Professor Liu Nongyu's Tendon Needle Station.

The department has cultivated numerous postgraduates and specialists in academic inheritance, and has collaborated with the Shenzhen International TCM Talent Training Center to train nearly 1,000 students. Staff members are encouraged to pursue advanced studies at top domestic medical institutions and participate in academic conferences.

Currently, the department presides over 3 projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 3 provincial/ministerial-level projects, and 4 municipal-level projects. It has participated in over 30 projects at various levels, published more than 20 SCI papers and over 60 core journal articles, published 8 monographs, obtained authorization for 4 invention patents and more than 10 utility model patents, won one provincial first-class science and technology award, and hosted one provincial and one municipal academic conference while co-hosting one national conference.

The Department of Soft Tissue Injury at Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital has consistently implemented the philosophy of "technology as the core, innovation as the driving force, service as the key, logistics as the guarantee, and publicity and planning as the pioneer." After years of development, it has become a clinical department with substantial scale, high academic standards, prominent characteristics, distinct advantages, and considerable national influence, ranking in a leading position in soft tissue injury research and treatment in Guangdong Province.

The department will always adhere to the tenet of "technology as the core, service as the key, publicity and planning as the pioneer, innovation as the driving force, and logistics as the guarantee." Moving forward, it is committed to building a refined, high-quality, sustainable, and nationally recognized high-level research-oriented clinical discipline of soft tissue injury with distinctive TCM characteristics!