Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of preoperative evaluation results of rotator cuff injuries. [Subjects and Methods] On the day of surgery, data were collected from 19 patients (12 males and 7 females; mean age 62.7 ± 6.6 years) diagnosed with rotator cuff injuries. The evaluation included assessment of range of motion, muscle strength, and rotator cuff function with regard to the postoperative period until active elevation of the shoulder joint, and the pain threshold. [Results] In patients who had a longer postoperative period until active elevation and in those complaining of severe pain, the preoperative evaluation results for muscle strength were more useful than the results for range of motion and examination tests of rotator cuff function. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that the preoperative evaluation of patients with rotator cuff injuries should include muscle strength measurements in order to predict postoperative function. To understand functional restoration of the shoulder joint after rotator cuff repair, we suggest preoperative evaluation of muscular function and kinematic assessments.
