Changes in Glenohumeral Joint Mechanics, Shoulder Strength, and Clinical Outcomes Over Two Years After Rotator Cuff Repair

Rotator cuff tears are a common injury that have a major impact on function, comfort, and medical care costs. Treatment procedures rely implicitly on the belief that restoring normal glenohumeral joint (GHJ) mechanics is necessary to obtain a satisfactory clinical result. However, it is unknown if rotator cuff repair restores and maintains normal GHJ mechanics. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare in-vivo GHJ contact patterns between the repaired and contralateral shoulders of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair. We hypothesized that GHJ contact patterns would be significantly different between repaired and contralateral shoulders.