Compliance with wearing an abduction brace after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: A prospective, sensor-controlled study. (August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grubhofer, Florian; Gerber, Christian; Meyer, Dominik C; Wieser, Karl; Ernstbrunner, Lukas; Catanzaro, Sabrina; Bouaicha, Samy
• Is Part Of: Prosthetics and orthotics international. Volume 43:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 440
• Page End: 446
• Publication Date: 2019-08
• Subjects: Upper limb orthotics -- orthotics -- rehabilitation of orthoses users -- rehabilitation; Orthopedic apparatus -- Periodicals; Prosthesis -- Periodicals; Implants, Artificial -- Periodicals; 617.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0309364619837794
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-3646

Abstract

Background: Immobilization, using a shoulder abduction brace, may be important after rotator cuff repair to achieve successful tendon-to-bone healing. Compliance with wear time is a concern. Objectives: Therefore, the abduction brace wearing time was assessed with temperature-sensitive sensors to objectively measure the abduction brace wearing compliance rate. Study design: Level of evidence I, prospective observational study. Methods: A temperature sensor was implanted into 54 standard shoulder abduction braces, worn by 50 patients (27 women; mean age, 56 years). At 6 weeks post-surgery, patients reported the number of hours they had worn the brace. The patient-reported and sensor data were compared, and the compliance rate (relative to the recommended wearing time) was determined, with compliance being the primary end-point and the discrepancy between the measured and patient-reported wear time being the secondary end-point. Results: Compliance was ⩾80% in 24 (48%) patients. Sensor-based compliance was lower than self-reported compliance (75% versus 96%, p ⩽ 0.001). Compliance was not predicted by age, sex, smoking, educational, employment, living status, or handedness. Conclusions: Roughly 50% of patients did not wear the brace at least 80% of the recommended time. Self-reported compliance is significantly lower than sensor-based compliance. Compliance was not predicted by measured demographic variables. Clinical relevance: This is the first study in which the abduction brace adherence of patients after rotator cuff repair was assessed by the use of a temperature-sensitive sensor. The postoperative use of these braces is questionable as the patient's abduction brace adherence is low. The self-reported wearing compliance is unreliable.