title: Rotator cuff rehabilitation: current theories and practice.
abstract: A fully functioning, painless shoulder joint is essential to maintain a healthy, normal quality of life. Disease of the rotator cuff tendons (RCTs) is a common issue that affects the population, increasing with age, and can lead to significant disability and social and health costs. RCT injuries can affect younger, healthy patients and the elderly alike, and may be the result of trauma or occur as a result of chronic degeneration. They can be acutely painful, limited to certain activities or completely asymptomatic and incidental findings. A wide variety of treatment options exists ranging from conservative local and systemic pain modalities, to surgical fixation. Regardless of management ultimately chosen, physiotherapy of the RCT, rotator cuff muscles and surrounding shoulder girdle plays an essential role in proper treatment. Length of treatment, types of therapy and timing may vary if therapy is definitive care or part of a postoperative protocol. Allowing time for adequate RCT healing must always be considered when implementing ROM and strengthening after surgery. With current rehabilitation methods, patients with all spectrums of RCT pathology can improve their function, pain and quality of life. This manuscript reviews current theories and practice involving rehabilitation for RCT injuries.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Beaumont Hospital , Royal Oak , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Beaumont Hospital , Royal Oak , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Ashok L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gowda
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Beaumont Hospital , Royal Oak , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wiater
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery , Beaumont Hospital , Royal Oak , MI , USA.
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wiater
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Management rotator cuff; Physiotherapy; Rotator cuff; Rotator cuff rehabilitation; Rotator cuff repair; Rotator cuff tear