Patrick DenardDirector Oregon Shoulder Fellowship, Oregon Shoulder Institute · Director Oregon Shoulder Fellowship at Oregon Shoulder Institute

Rotator Cuff Tears: Why Rehab Often Comes First

20 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this segment, Patrick Denard highlights a large U.S. study by the Moon Group that examined outcomes of non‑operative, conservative treatment for confirmed rotator cuff tears. The study found that 75% of patients improved after a six‑week physical therapy program and avoided surgery for up to ten years. Denard explains that if symptoms do not improve after 6–12 weeks of physical therapy, this suggests a true rotator cuff tear rather than bursitis, indicating the need for further imaging such as an MRI. The overall message is that structured rehab should be the first step, with surgery reserved for cases that fail to respond.

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Now here's the good news about rotator cuff tears. There was a large study by the Moon Group in the United States looking at non-operative or conservative treatment outcomes of rotator cuff tears, and they were treated with physical therapy. These were confirmed rotator cuff tears, and the data showed that 75% of people got better with a 6-week course of physical therapy, and actually they did not go on to surgery over the next 10 years. A sign that you have a rotator cuff tear and not just bursitis is one that does not get better with 6 to 12 weeks of physical therapy and it's time to get an MRI.