Chair based rehabilitation for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears.

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Chair based rehabilitation for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. A pilot study.

• IRAS ID

  332335

• Contact name

  Christopher Watts

• Sponsor organisation

  Canterbury Christ Church University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 7 months, 25 days

• Research summary

  Rotator cuff tears of the tendons in the shoulder are quite common. Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are less common and pose a challenge on how to manage clinically. The rotator cuff muscles in this group of people are irreparable due to degeneration of tendon. Treatment options include physiotherapy or reverse shoulder replacement. Many people are unable to have or unwilling to have a reverse shoulder replacement. Patients that are listed for replacement face long NHS waiting lists.
  Physiotherapy programs have shown promise in helping patient with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears regain function and reduce pain. The exercises included in these programs always start with the patient lying on their back. This poses problems for some patients due to pain and underlying health conditions. Some patients are then left in pain as they are unable to have surgery and normal physiotherapy is unsuccessful.
  In EKHUFT and across the physiotherapy profession clinicians have to adapt exercises for the shoulder in more patient friendly positions, such as sitting. At present there has not been published a chair based rehabilitation program for patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears.
  A chair based rehabilitation program has been designed within EKHUFT that requires testing for efficacy and acceptability on patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears.

• REC name

  South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/SC/0273

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 Aug 2024

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion