Since rotator cuff tears are one of the most common causes of shoulder pain and weakness, our doctors are dedicated to understanding and improving arthroscopic techniques for repair of the rotator cuff. We have patients complete a subjective questionnaire prior to surgery and at each of their follow-up visits so we may track the progress of each patient’s shoulder.

We were involved in a study of 65 patients who had a full-thickness rotator cuff tear repaired arthroscopically. Patients were evaluated at three, six, and 12 months following surgery and then yearly thereafter.

Arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff resulted in good to excellent outcomes. Below is a graph showing how patients scored their ability to do each of the following tasks before and after surgery. A score of 0 indicates inability to perform the task.

To read the full abstract, published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, please click here.