2011 Volume 35 Issue 3 Pages 877-881
The purpose of this study is to determine a target ROM (T-ROM) at 3 months after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, by which patients can expect eventual full recovery. Subjects consist of 209 shoulders in 202 patients, including 116 males and 86 females with an average age of 61.5 years old, who underwent primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and were followed-up for a minimum of 2 years. There were 30 partial-thickness tears, 120 small to medium and 57 large to massive full-thickness tears. Anterior elevation (AE), external rotation at side (ER), and internal rotation (IR) ROM at 3 month after surgery (ROM-3M) were measured, and divided into five groups according to the values. The final ROM at 24 months after surgery was compared with each ROM-3M of these subgroups in order to determine the T-ROM. Then, according to the T-ROM, patients were also divided into two groups: less than the T-ROM (AE-, ER-, and IR-); and more than the T-ROM (AE+, ER+, and IR+), and average ROM in each group were compared with each other.
The final ROM of AE was significantly better in the group of more than 120° than less than 120 degrees. Therefore, the T-ROM of AE was determined as 120°. Similarly, those of ER and IR were determined as 10° and L5 level. ROM at 6 and 9 months in the AE+ group was significantly better than those of the AE- group. Further, every ROM at 3 to 24 months in the ER+ group was significantly better than those of the ER- group. In conclusion, ROM at 3 months after surgery affects final shoulder function. Surgeons and therapists should pay attention to the T-ROM at 3 months after surgery described above in order to maximize patients's final shoulder function.
