Efficacy of informed versus uninformed physiotherapy on postoperative retear rates of medium-sized and large rotator cuff tears.

Background: It is important to perform the first 12 weeks of rehabilitation without risk of tearing a cuff tendon from its repair site. Our hypothesis was that performing early postoperative rehabilitation with a limitable pendulum exercise device can produce lower retear rate outcomes when it is combined with safe, informed physiotherapy compared with a standardized protocol of rehabilitation performed at home.

Methods: By using an asymmetric arm support brace and an advanced accelerometer, we attempted to determine the benefits of small pendulum exercises (proposed by Long et al).