Exercise therapy for treatment of supraspinatus tears does not alter glenohumeral kinematics during internal/external rotation with the arm at the side

Purpose Rotator cuff tears are a significant clinical problem, with exercise therapy being a common treatment option for patients. Failure rates of exercise therapy may be due to the failure to improve glenohumeral kinematics. Tears involving the supraspinatus may result in altered glenohumeral kinematics and joint instability for internal/external rotation with the arm at the side because not all muscles used to stabilize the glenohumeral joint are functioning normally. The objective of the study is to assess in vivo glenohumeral kinematic changes for internal/external rotation motions with the arm at the side of patients with a symptomatic full-thickness supraspinatus tear before and after a 12-week exercise therapy programme.