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Time-course changes in active stiffness of the supraspinatus muscle after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

  • Original Article–Orthopedics
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the time-course changes in the active stiffness of the supraspinatus muscle after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Methods

Eight male patients (mean age 61.5 ± 9.4 years) who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for small to medium tears were recruited for this study. Movement tasks included 30° shoulder isometric abduction and maximal voluntary isometric contraction of shoulder abduction in the scapular plane. The stiffness of the supraspinatus (anterior superficial, anterior deep, posterior superficial, and posterior deep regions), upper trapezius, and middle deltoid muscles in bilateral shoulders was recorded using ultrasound shear wave elastography. For each subject, the measurement was performed preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

Results

The stiffness of the affected anterior superficial region of the supraspinatus muscle 12 months postoperatively was significantly higher than that measured preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively (p < 0.05); it was significantly higher at 6 months postoperatively than at 3 months postoperatively (p < 0.05). Further, the maximal voluntary isometric contraction had significantly improved 12 months postoperatively compared to that measured preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively (p < 0.05). The stiffness of the affected upper trapezius and middle deltoid muscles 12 months postoperatively was significantly lower than that preoperatively (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The maximal voluntary isometric contraction 12 months postoperatively possibly increased because of improvement in the active stiffness of the anterior superficial region. Active stiffness of the anterior superficial region may improve 6 months rather than 3 months postoperatively because of the different stages of muscle force, structural repair tendon strength, and remodeling.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the staff of Hitsujigaoka Hospital and the Sports Physical Therapy Laboratory at Sapporo Medical University. This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Early Career Scientists (19K19833).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation, Hitsujigaoka Hospital, 3-1-10 Aoba-cho, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 004-0021, Japan

    Yoshinari Sakaki & Fumiko Sato

  2. Second Division of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Sapporo Medical University, West 17, South 1, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8556, Japan

    Yoshinari Sakaki, Keigo Taniguchi & Masaki Katayose

  3. Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Japan Healthcare University, 11-1-50 Tsukisamuhigashi 3, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-0053, Japan

    Naoki Oikawa

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hitsujigaoka Hospital, 3-1-10 Aoba-cho, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 004-0021, Japan

    Hideji Kura & Kenji Okamura

Authors
  1. Yoshinari Sakaki
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  2. Keigo Taniguchi
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  3. Fumiko Sato
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  4. Naoki Oikawa
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  5. Masaki Katayose
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  6. Hideji Kura
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  7. Kenji Okamura
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Contributions

YS planned the study design, data acquisition, data analysis, and writing and revision of the manuscript. KT planned the study design, interpretation of data, and writing and revision of the manuscript. FS, NO, and MK supervision, support in execution and design of the project. HK provided the clinical challenge, support in writing and revision of the manuscript. KO support in analysis of the data, writing and revision of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final submitted manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keigo Taniguchi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical statements

The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Hitsujigaoka Hospital (approval number 0010) and Sapporo Medical University (approval number 29-2-43).

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Sakaki, Y., Taniguchi, K., Sato, F. et al. Time-course changes in active stiffness of the supraspinatus muscle after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. J Med Ultrasonics 49, 77–84 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-021-01168-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-021-01168-1

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