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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
8-week telerehabilitation program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercise
8-week conventional face-to-face physiotherapy program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises
Beykent University Hospital
Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
Pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale [VAS], 0-10 points)
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.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Shoulder range of motion (Goniometer, degrees)
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.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Muscle strength (Manual Muscle Testing, 0-5 scale)
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.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Quality of life (Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index [WORC], 0-2100 points)
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.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention
Functional status (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand [DASH] questionnaire, 0-100 points)
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.
Time frame: Baseline and after 8-week intervention.
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