The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has issued an updated clinical practice guideline for the management of rotator cuff injuries, according to an Aug. 28 news release from the AAOS.
Here are five things to know:
- The updated guideline focuses on optimizing the healing environment for patients who suffer rotator cuff injuries, emphasizing biologics and improvements to surgical repair techniques in order to better prevent retears.
- Rotator cuff tears are the most common cause of shoulder pain, which can come from injuries or natural wear and tear.
- There are about 4.5 million patient visits for shoulder pain in the U.S. each year.
- More than 20 recommendations and eight options are included in the updated CPG.
- Key updated recommendations include operative vs. nonoperative management, postoperative mobilization timing and sling use, supervised vs. nonsupervised exercise and corticosteroid injections for rotator cuff tears.
View the full guideline here.
