(Ivanhoe Newswire) – People who have surgery to correct a rotator cuff injury can rest assured relief will be long-lasting.

A study conducted among 11 patients 8 years following the operation found even those who continued to experience rotator cuff defects remained relatively pain-free and were significantly better off than they were prior to the original surgery.

“Our obvious concern for patients who have a recurrent rotator cuff defect after surgical repair is that symptoms may recur over time,” study author Christopher Dodson, M.D., from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, was quoted as saying. “Our study concluded that the patient will experience long-term benefit from surgery and remain asymptomatic, even if a recurrent defect is present. This is encouraging for both the surgeon and the patient undergoing rotator cuff repair.”

All of the people in the study completed four assessment surveys over the years and were examined for further defects using ultrasound testing.

Rotator cuff problems can be caused by a traumatic injury to the shoulder, but are often the result of long-term wear and tear due to playing sports.

SOURCE: Presented at the 2009 American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine Specialty Day, February 28, 2009