Maximizing Return to Activity Post Cuff and Instability Surgery

Designing a rehabilitation program after a patient has had surgical intervention should take several factors into account: the degree and type of mechanical disruption, the type and strength of the surgical procedure, the chronicity of the problem, the strength and endurance of the rotator cuff and the scapular musculature, the flexibility of the soft tissues around the shoulder, and the patient’s anticipated level and type of activity post-rehabilitation. Postoperative guidelines which respect tissue healing timelines should be followed; at the same time, the patient should be progressed through the phases of rehabilitation only when the criteria of each phase are met.