Study overview
Rehabilitation plays a central role in recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, but access to high-intensity, in-person care can be limited by scheduling, travel, cost, and availability. This randomized controlled trial compared a 12-week digitally assisted home-based rehabilitation program with conventional home-based rehabilitation after surgery.
The digital group used a home-based system with motion tracking, biofeedback, and remote clinical monitoring. The comparator group received conventional home-based rehabilitation. Researchers evaluated recovery at the end of the active program and at longer-term follow-up.
Key findings
Outcomes were similar by program end
At the end of the 12-week program, digitally assisted rehabilitation produced outcomes comparable to conventional home-based rehabilitation. This suggests that a remotely supported model can achieve similar short-term recovery after rotator cuff repair.
Digital participants had stronger longer-term outcomes
The Sword summary notes that participants in the digital group were able to continue engaging with the program after the formal intervention period, and that this was associated with stronger outcomes at the 12-month mark.
The model reduced reliance on intensive in-person delivery
The digital program was designed to deliver guided rehabilitation at home while allowing clinicians to monitor progress and adjust care remotely. That matters in post-surgical recovery, where continuity and adherence are critical.
The study adds comparative evidence in post-surgical care
Because this was a randomized controlled trial, it provides a stronger level of evidence than single-arm outcomes studies. It helps show that digitally assisted rehabilitation can be evaluated against conventional rehabilitation in a surgical recovery context.
Why this study matters
This study helps position digital rehabilitation as a clinically credible option after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. It does not simply ask whether people can complete exercises at home. It compares a digitally assisted model against conventional home-based rehabilitation after a common shoulder surgery.
For clinical audiences, the study supports the idea that home-based digital rehabilitation can be part of post-surgical care when paired with feedback, monitoring, and clinical oversight. For organizations evaluating care models, it suggests digital programs may help extend access and continuity without sacrificing recovery.
About the author
Fabiola Costa
Senior Director of Clinical Research, Sword Health
