Purpose: Little evidence exists to guide rehabilitation following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). It is unclear how new repair techniques may affect postoperative protocols. Our purpose was to determine current practices of members of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM.) Our hypothesis was that wide variation would exist in the postoperative rehabilitation following ARCR and that accelerated protocols would commonly be prescribed after double row ARCR.

Method: A 28 question web-based survey was sent to all active members of AANA and AOSSM via email addresses listed in the specialty society directory. Non-responders were reminded by 2 additional invitations. Results were tabulated and responses reported as a percentage of respondents.

Results: The response rate was 37.7% (797/2112). Most commonly, respondents use a post-operative abduction sling (56.2%) and begin physical therapy within the first 2 weeks (42.1%.) Passive ROM is initiated within 2 weeks (74.1%), active ROM after 6 weeks (55.3%) and strengthening after 6 weeks (64.4%). Unrestricted activities are permitted at 5 months (41.2%.) 85.2% of respondents alter rehabilitation based upon tear size. Protocols were altered based upon tissue quality (86.9%), involvement of subscapularis (68.7%) or biceps tendon (65.2%) but not for workers compensation status (97.1%), smoking (71.5%) or patient age (70.3%.) 81.1% had performed double row rotator cuff repairs; however 95.2% of those do not alter their postoperative protocol based upon repair configuration.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate wide variation among respondents with regards to immobilization, ROM and return to activity. The majority had performed double row ARCR, however 95.2% of these do not alter their postoperative rehabilitation in patients undergoing double row repair.