[Nonoperative management of rotator cuff defects]

Rotator cuff defects are common disorders of the shoulder. Although the outcome of surgical treatment of rotator cuff tears is well documented in the literature, less is known about the efficacy of physical therapy for symptomatic rotator cuff tears. Clear therapeutic standards are still missing. This article presents the nonoperative treatment options as well as a literature review. The results of most studies show that patients with rotator cuff defects do benefit from both physical therapy and simple home exercises independent from the size of the defect. However, due to the heterogeneity of outcome measures used, it is difficult to compare the results published. There is still a need for well-planned randomised controlled studies investigating the efficacy of exercise in the management of rotator cuff tears.