Who will benefit from shoulder exercise therapy for rotator cuff tears
Predicting the Outcome of Exercise Therapy for Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tears
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · NIH-11169004
This project aims to find which people with rotator cuff tears do well with personalized exercise-based shoulder therapy.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11169004 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will follow people with a torn supraspinatus tendon who try a tailored exercise program and track pain, shoulder motion, strength, and patient-reported outcomes over time. The team already followed a group of 109 patients and saw fewer surgeries and better function after the program. They will combine those clinical measures with computer models that use each person’s measurements to look for differences in shoulder joint stability. The goal is to understand the clinical and mechanical reasons some people improve with exercise while others go on to surgery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with a symptomatic isolated supraspinatus (rotator cuff) tendon tear who are starting or considering non-surgical exercise therapy.
Not a fit: People with large or multi-tendon rotator cuff tears, urgent traumatic injuries, or who already need immediate surgery may not benefit from the exercise-focused approach studied here.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help match patients to the right treatment so more people get better with exercise and fewer people have unnecessary surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work, including the POETT cohort, showed promising improvements and a lower surgery rate after a personalized exercise program, while combining this with subject-specific computer modeling is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DEBSKI, RICHARD E — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- Study coordinator: DEBSKI, RICHARD E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.