Are Psychologic Factors Associated With Shoulder Scores After Rotator Cuff Surgery?

Background: Psychologic factors are associated with pain and disability in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Recent research regarding the association of affective psychologic factors (emotions) with patients' pain and disability outcome after surgery disagrees; and the relationship between cognitive psychologic factors (thoughts and beliefs) and outcome after surgery is unknown.

Questions/purposes: (1) Are there identifiable clusters (based on psychologic functioning measures) in patients undergoing shoulder surgery? (2) Is poorer psychologic functioning associated with worse outcome (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] score) after shoulder surgery?

Methods: This prospective cohort study investigated patients undergoing shoulder surgery for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain or rotator cuff tear by one of six surgeons between January 2014 and July 2015.