Effect of Telerehabilitation on Quality of Life, Pain, and Function After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Rotator Cuff Tears

• Registration Number: NCT07205094
• Lead Sponsor: Aysan Yaghoubi

Brief Summary

he purpose of this study was to find out whether telerehabilitation after rotator cuff surgery can help reduce pain, improve shoulder movement, increase muscle strength, enhance functional ability, and improve quality of life compared to conventional physiotherapy. The study included 30 participants who had undergone rotator cuff surgery at least six weeks earlier. They were divided into two groups: a telerehabilitation group (n=20) and a conventional physiotherapy control group (n=10). Both groups followed an eight-week exercise program, which included range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises.

The study found that both groups improved in pain, shoulder mobility, muscle strength, function, and quality of life. Participants in the telerehabilitation group showed particularly greater improvements in shoulder flexion, flexor muscles, external rotator muscles, and overall quality of life. These results suggest that telerehabilitation may be an effective alternative to traditional physiotherapy after rotator cuff surgery.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-02-28
• Primary Completion: 2025-04-30
• Study Completion: 2025-05-02
• Study First Submitted: 2025-09-24
• Status Verified: 2025-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-10-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-10-01
• Study First Posted: 2025-10-03
• Last Update Posted: 2025-10-03

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• Individuals who have undergone rotator cuff surgery
• At least 6 weeks post-surgery
• Possess the necessary technology for telerehabilitation (smartphone, computer, internet access)
• Willing to participate in the study and have signed the informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria

• History of neurological disorders
• Severe cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions
• Need for special medical care due to postoperative infection or complications
• Inability to comply with telerehabilitation due to psychiatric conditions
• Lack of access to or knowledge of technology required for telerehabilitation
• Participation in another rehabilitation program during the study period

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale [VAS], 0-10 points)	Baseline and after 8-week intervention	Pain intensity was assessed before and after the 8-week intervention using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) during activity, at rest, and at night. Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain), with higher scores indicating worse pain. Changes were compared between the telerehabilitation group and the conventional physiotherapy control group.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Shoulder range of motion (Goniometer, degrees)	Baseline and after 8-week intervention	Shoulder flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation were measured using a goniometer before and after the 8-week intervention. Normal ranges for adults are: flexion 0-180°, extension 0-45°, abduction 0-180°, adduction 0-45°, internal rotation 0-70°, external rotation 0-90°. Changes were compared between the telerehabilitation group and control group.
Muscle strength (Manual Muscle Testing, 0-5 scale)	Baseline and after 8-week intervention	Muscle strength of shoulder flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors, internal and external rotators was assessed using manual muscle testing before and after the 8-week intervention. Scores range from 0 (no contraction) to 5 (normal strength), with higher scores indicating stronger muscles. Changes were compared between groups.
Quality of life (Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index [WORC], 0-2100 points)	Baseline and after 8-week intervention	Quality of life was assessed before and after the 8-week intervention using the WORC questionnaire. Scores range from 0 (best quality of life) to 2100 (worst quality of life), with lower scores indicating better quality of life. Changes were compared between the telerehabilitation group and control group.
Functional status (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand [DASH] questionnaire, 0-100 points)	Baseline and after 8-week intervention.	Functional status was measured before and after the 8-week intervention using the DASH questionnaire. Scores for each subscale (function, symptoms, social/role function) were calculated separately. Scores range from 0 (no disability) to 100 (maximum disability), with higher scores indicating worse functional status. Changes were compared between the telerehabilitation group and control group.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Beykent University Hospital; Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)