Douglas P Hamil 
Effectiveness of Nonoperative and Operative Treatments for Rotator Cuff Tears 

Rotator cuff (RC) tears refer to a partial or full discontinuation of one or more of the muscles or tendons and may occur as a result of traumatic injury or degeneration over a period of years. The incidence of RC tears is related to increasing age; 54 percent of patients over the age of 60 years have partial or complete RC tears compared with only 4 percent of adults under 40 years of age. Although not a life-threatening condition, RC tears cause significant pain, weakness, and limitation of motion. Both nonoperative and operative treatments are used in an attempt to relieve pain and restore movement and function of the shoulder. This new book examines the comparative effectiveness of the various nonoperative and operative treatment options for patients with RC tears.