Postoperative rehabilitation of shoulder pain

Abstract

Background: Shoulder joint diseases such as rotator cuff tear, adhesive capsulitis, calcific tendinitis, shoulder instability, and glenohumeral osteoarthritis often require surgical treatment. Surgical outcomes can change significantly depending on whether the postoperative rehabilitation was appropriately performed. Current Concepts: The focus of postoperative rehabilitation should be to remove pain and restore functional movement through improving the dynamic stability of the rotator cuff and shoulder muscles. However, rehabilitation should not include activities that aggravate the injury. Therefore, rehabilitation treatment should be carried out with gradual increments in exercise intensity. Postoperative rehabilitation is not only related to exercise but may also include drug administration, such as steroid injection. In particular, many investigations have been performed to identify the clinical risks and benefits of steroid injection after rotator cuff repair. Notably, telemedicine can be used as a solution for the problematic situations that have been caused by coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Discussion and Conclusion: A thorough understanding and appropriate application of postoperative rehabilitation protocols are essential to improve surgical outcomes.