… Wait, what?

From a website on rotator cuff repair:

Outcome

The majority of patients report improved shoulder strength and less pain after surgery for a torn rotator cuff.

Each surgical repair technique (open, mini-open, and arthroscopic) has similar results in terms of pain relief, improvement in strength and function, and patient satisfaction. Surgeon expertise is more important in achieving satisfactory results than the choice of technique.

Factors that can decrease the likelihood of a satisfactory result include:

• Poor tendon/tissue quality
• Large or massive tears
• Poor patient compliance with rehabilitation and restrictions after surgery
• Patient age (older than 65 years)
• Smoking and use of other nicotine products
• Workers’ compensation claims

Wait, what?