Global trends of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine for musculoskeletal diseases: a bibliometric analysis

Musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) encompass a spectrum of over 150 distinct conditions that impact the musculoskeletal system, affecting people all over the world. Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is an integrated healthcare concept that combines conventional therapies with complementary health care. There has been a lack of overarching study to systematically demonstrate the scope of research on TCIM for MSDs. The study aims to explore the patterns and trends in TCIM for MSDs over the last 20 years.

The Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was selected as the data source to identify relevant publications. We included research and review articles published in English from January 1, 2004, to July 29, 2024. The CiteSpace 6.1.R1 software package was used to conduct bibliometric and visual analysis about the number of publications and the distributions of countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, and their co-occurrence. Microsoft Excel was used to collect information on numbers and frequencies.

A total of 6345 publications were retrieved, including 5559 research articles and 786 review articles. The annual number of publications exhibited an overall upward trend in 20 years. Vitamin D and osteoporosis were the most frequently studied TCIM and MSD, respectively. Research hotspots have gradually shifted from epidemiological investigations of and diagnostic techniques for MSDs to studies of specific populations and disease risk factors and management strategies. Future studies should be conducted to monitor changes in research topics and focus on the prevention and risk recognition of MSDs.

This bibliometric study lays the foundation for further studies in the fields of TCIM and MSDs. Despite the local and indigenous characteristics of TCIM, we encourage international cooperation and interaction. At a time when healthcare needs are shifting toward safety, prevention, and wellness, the role of TCIM should be considered.