Thesis Format

Integrated Article

The nature and consistency of exercise reporting in rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair

Dinesh Balachandran, The University of Western OntarioFollow

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Supervisor

Dr. MacDermid, Joy

Abstract

Purpose:

Rotator cuff repair is conventional surgery, and postoperative rehabilitation programs are routine. Optimization and implementation of evidence-based exercise are dependent on comprehensive reporting of intervention content and dosage. The purpose of this study is to examine the content and consistency of reporting of postoperative exercise programs following arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs.

Methods:

Keyword search of PUBMED, EMBASE, Scopus, SPORTDiscuss, AMED, CINAHL, and Cochrane were performed from January 1950 to March 2019. All the studies that discussed rehabilitation following rotator cuff repairs of human adults were included. A Proforma Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) assessment form was used to extract data.

Results: Thirty-one studies were included in this report. Out of 19 items prescribed by the panel of exercise experts, only 1 study scored 63%. A mean score of 3.83 and a median of 3 with a range of 12 was registered. Out of these 31 studies, three studies scored 0 out of 19.

Conclusion:

Variation in content in rotator cuff post-operative regimens was evident, as was a lack of complete reporting of intervention specifics. Lack of exercise reporting is a clear barrier to implementation of best practice.

Keywords: postoperative, rotator cuff, rehabilitation, exercise reporting guideline.

Summary for Lay Audience

The nature of this study is to find out if the exercise programs in the published studies are self-explanatory. Can these exercise programs be replicated without contacting the original authors for an explanation regarding how the exercises were performed by the patients following rotator cuff surgery? And why it is important to follow certain guidelines when reporting studies with exercise in a standard way.

Recommended Citation

Balachandran, Dinesh, "The nature and consistency of exercise reporting in rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair" (2019). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 6763.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/6763