Early versus delayed rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Objective: To determine how the timing of rehabilitation, early versus delayed, affects clinical results and tendon healing rates after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: Searches were done in PubMed, utilizing the terms arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, rehabilitation, early, and delayed. In PubMed the following filters and terms were used: published in the last 10 years, humans, randomized controlled trial, free full-text articles, and English. Results: The Keener et al study was included because it evaluated clinical results and tendon healing rates after arthroscopic repair using two distinct rehabilitation protocols, early versus delayed ROM. The Cuff et al study was included because it evaluated patient outcomes and rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic repair using two different physical therapy protocols: early passive motion versus delayed. The Kim et al. study was included because it compared clinical results of two rehabilitation protocols, early passive motion exercises versus delayed motion, in post-arthroscopic rotator cuff repair patients for functional outcome and tendon healing. Lastly, all three studies included subjective and objective data. Conclusion: The implementation of early versus delayed rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair yielded no significant difference in clinical results and tendon healing