Functional outcomes after physiotherapy program in patients with massive and irreparable rotator cuff tear

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the short term and 1-year follow-up functional effects of a physiotherapy programme in patients over 60 years of age with massive and irreparable Rotator Cuff (RC) tear. MethodsA total of 96 patients with massive and irreparable RC tear were prospectively recruited. All patients were treated with a 12-week physiotherapy programme. Three evaluations were performed, at the beginning, at the end of the treatment and at one year of follow-up. The Constant–Murley questionnaire was used to assess shoulder function, the DASH questionnaire for upper limb function, and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity. ResultsAt the end of the treatment, all the variables showed a clinically and statistically significant difference (p<.05). At one year of follow-up, the Constant–Murley showed an increase of 26.5 points (Cohen's d=1.7; 95% CI: 23.5–29.5; p<.001), DASH showed a decrease of 31.4 points (Cohen's d=2.2; 95% CI: 28.5–34.3; p<.001), and the VAS showed a decrease of 3.9cm (Cohen's d=3.6; 95% CI: 3.6–4.1; p<.001). ConclusionIn the short term and 1-year follow-up, a physiotherapy programme showed clinically and statistically significant results in all functional variables in patients older than 60 years with massive and irreparable RC tear.