A Prospective analysis of self-guided home rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair - A cohort study.

Sanket  Mishra; Ananta Narayan  Panda; Deepankar  Satapathy; Aklesh  Panigrahy; Subham  Panigrahy

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v6i6.1936

Authors

Sanket Mishra Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Ananta Narayan Panda Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Dr Deepankar Satapathy Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, AIIMS Bibinagar
Aklesh Panigrahy Resident M S, Department of Orthopaedics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Subham Panigrahy Resident M S, Department of Orthopaedics, IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v6i6.1936

Keywords:

Rotator cuff repair, Home-based rehabilitation, Mini-open surgery, Functional recovery, Postoperative outcomes

Abstract

Background

Rotator cuff injuries are common in older adults and can significantly affect shoulder function and quality of life. While surgical repair is the primary treatment, postoperative rehabilitation plays a critical role in functional recovery. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of mini-open rotator cuff repair (RCR) surgery with a home-based rehabilitation protocol.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted over two years at two tertiary care centers. A total of 90 patients who underwent RCR surgery were evaluated using clinical assessments, radiographs, and MRI. Postoperative outcomes were measured up to one-year follow-up, including pain, functional recovery, and range of motion.

Results

The majority of participants were middle-aged males (mean age 54.6 years; 71.1% male), with a predominance of right-hand dominance and involvement of the dominant arm in 70% of cases. Manual laborers comprised nearly two-thirds of the cohort, indicating high physical demand among the affected population. Significant improvements were observed in pain (VAS score reduced from 7.6 to 1.4) and functional outcomes (DASH score improved from 34.1 to 4.3). Range of motion also showed considerable improvement, with active abduction increasing from 97° to 135°. Treatment failures occurred in 4.4% of patients, and 91% returned to full work within three months post-surgery.

Conclusion

Mini-open RCR with home-based rehabilitation results in significant functional recovery and low complication rates in most patients.

Recommendation

Further studies should focus on patient selection criteria to optimize outcomes, particularly in those with large or retracted tears.

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