1998 Volume 22 Issue 2 Pages 315-318
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of using the Zero Position cast for post operative treatment altar a rotator cuff repair.
120 shoulders with a rotator c uff tear were investigated. Postoperatively, skin traction with the upper limb in Zero Position was applied for 4 or 5 days. Then, the body spica cast was applied in the same position for 2 or 3 weeks. From the early phase of immobilization the elbow and shoulder exercises were performed in the bivalved cast. The ranges of motion and muscle strengths were measured before surgery and 2 months after surgery.
The R0M in flexion and ab duction recovered satisfactory. The flexion angle was 130.0° before and 141.4° after surgery, and the abduction angle was 110.5° before and 128.0° after surgery. The rotational angle changed from 51.5° before surgery to 44.8° after surgery in ER, and from 53.8° to 53.4° i n I R. Twelve patients (10%) had an abduction contracture and half of them were diagnosed as an incomplete cuff tear. The muscle strength improved in all motions. The period of immobilization averaged 16.7 days. In the results, there was no difference between the under-l4-day group and the over15-day group concerning the duration of the immobilization.
The Zero Position should be the most suitab le position theoretically for a cuff repair. According to our results, even two months after surgery, the R 0 M and muscle strength had recovered almost satisfactory. Patients with an incomplete cuff tear require early exercise. We conclude that the Zero Position cast is effective as the postoperative treatment of a cuff repair.
