Effect of Telerehabilitation on Quality of Life, Pain, and Function After Rotator Cuff Surgery

NCT07205094 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: AYSAN2025-RCT
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

he purpose of this study was to find out whether telerehabilitation after rotator cuff surgery can help reduce pain, improve shoulder movement, increase muscle strength, enhance functional ability, and improve quality of life compared to conventional physiotherapy. The study included 30 participants who had undergone rotator cuff surgery at least six weeks earlier. They were divided into two groups: a telerehabilitation group (n=20) and a conventional physiotherapy control group (n=10). Both groups followed an eight-week exercise program, which included range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises. The study found that both groups improved in pain, shoulder mobility, muscle strength, function, and quality of life. Participants in the telerehabilitation group showed particularly greater improvements in shoulder flexion, flexor muscles, external rotator muscles, and overall quality of life. These results suggest that telerehabilitation may be an effective alternative to traditional physiotherapy after rotator cuff surgery.

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Tears

Keywords

Rotator Cuff Surgery; Telerehabilitation Method; Pain; Quality of Life; Function

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale [VAS], 0-10 points)

  Pain intensity was assessed before and after the 8-week intervention using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) during activity, at rest, and at night. Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain), with higher scores indicating worse pain. Changes were compared between the telerehabilitation group and the conventional physiotherapy control group.

  Baseline and after 8-week intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Shoulder range of motion (Goniometer, degrees)

  Baseline and after 8-week intervention

• Muscle strength (Manual Muscle Testing, 0-5 scale)

  Baseline and after 8-week intervention

• Quality of life (Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index [WORC], 0-2100 points)

  Baseline and after 8-week intervention

• Functional status (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand [DASH] questionnaire, 0-100 points)

  Baseline and after 8-week intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Telerehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

8-week telerehabilitation program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises

Other: Telerehabilitation exercise program

Conventional Physiotherapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

8-week conventional face-to-face physiotherapy program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises

Other: Conventional physiotherapy program

Interventions

Telerehabilitation exercise program OTHER

8-week telerehabilitation program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercise

Telerehabilitation

Conventional physiotherapy program OTHER

8-week conventional face-to-face physiotherapy program including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises

Conventional Physiotherapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Individuals who have undergone rotator cuff surgery
• At least 6 weeks post-surgery
• Possess the necessary technology for telerehabilitation (smartphone, computer, internet access)
• Willing to participate in the study and have signed the informed consent form

You may not qualify if:

• History of neurological disorders
• Severe cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions
• Need for special medical care due to postoperative infection or complications
• Inability to comply with telerehabilitation due to psychiatric conditions
• Lack of access to or knowledge of technology required for telerehabilitation
• Participation in another rehabilitation program during the study period

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aysan Yaghoubi: lead

Study Sites (1)

Beykent University Hospital

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34500, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Injuries; Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Rupture; Wounds and Injuries; Shoulder Injuries; Tendon Injuries; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Master's Graduate in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Model Details: Participants were assigned to two groups: a telerehabilitation group (n=20) and a conventional physiotherapy control group (n=10). Both groups followed an eight-week exercise program, including range of motion, stretching, strengthening, and stabilization exercises. Outcomes such as pain, shoulder mobility, muscle strength, functional ability, and quality of life were compared between the groups.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 24, 2025
• First Posted: October 3, 2025
• Study Start: February 28, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2025
• Study Completion: May 2, 2025
• Last Updated: October 3, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)