Role And Outcomes of Conservative Treatment in Management of Rotator Cuff Tears: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials

Abstract

Rotator cuff tears are known to result in significant societal burden. This review synthesises the evidence regarding the role and outcomes of conservatively managed rotator cuff tears. 17 prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (Level 1 and 2 studies) were included in this systematic review. Modalities which were studied were classified into physical rehabilitative modalities, electrophysiological rehabilitative modalities, biological therapies, and pharmacologic therapies. Outcomes which were evaluated in the included RCTs comprised of clinical outcomes, functional outcomes, pain scores, quality of life scores, imaging based outcomes, and patient satisfaction scores. As the modalities and outcomes studied were varied, no quantitative analysis could be performed based on the primary data available. Nevertheless, most studies do suggest that conservative treatment remains beneficial for the management of rotator cuff tears. Based on these findings, an algorithm which proposes conservative therapy as the central mode of management for rotator cuff tear patients has been described. More high-quality studies are required in this area of study to allow for a quantitative review (meta-analysis and meta-regression) of the various non-surgical treatment modalities of rotator cuff tears. Keywords: Rotator Cuff Tears; Conservative; Non-operative; Management; Randomised controlled trials; Review.