Rotator Cuff Disease: Treatment Options and Considerations

Rotator cuff disease encompasses a broad spectrum of injury and pathology with an increasing incidence with age. Pain with overhead activity, localizing to the deltoid region, and loss of active range of motion of the shoulder are among the most common presenting symptoms. Treatment options are dependent on the extent of disease and patient symptoms, and may range from physical therapy to surgical repair using a variety of possible techniques. Tear thickness, size, and morphology frequently dictate the repair techniques that are used, such as margin convergence, anterior and posterior interval slides, and mobilization of the rotator interval and supraspinatus with a subscapularis repair. Establishing and maintaining a low-tension repair is important in optimizing tendon healing after surgery. Superior capsule reconstruction is an emerging treatment strategy for massive, otherwise irreparable cuff tears, though more long-term evidence is necessary to fully evaluate this option.