Summary

Shoulder injuries are a major problem in the general population, particularly among workers. Given the magnitude of this health problem, the research team, led by doctors Desmeules, Roy and Dyer, published a practical guide adapted to the Québec context, dealing with the clinical evaluation, treatment and return to work of adults with rotator cuff (RC) injuries. This guide is intended for physicians and other health professionals, employers, workers and other stakeholders involved with this population. Along with the guide, the research team published technical specifications detailing the methodological aspects of the guide and evidence-based data included in the knowledge syntheses that underpin the recommendations developed in it.

This project was made possible through funding by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST). The IRSST is a non-profit organization that conducts and funds research activities to reduce risks to workers’ health and safety and to promote their rehabilitation.

The IRSST funded the study entitled “Clinical Evaluation, Treatment and Return to Work of Workers Suffering from Rotator Cuff Disorders: A Knowledge Review” (Roy, Desmeules, Frémont, Dionne and MacDermid, 2015) That study is a review of knowledge about the assessment and treatment of rotator cuff injuries in workers, and this guide is its logical continuation.

This research was made possible through the participation of a number of contributors, including university professors, researchers, health professionals, patient partners, managers, compensation officers and labour relations counsellors. All of them generously shared their expertise in order to complete this study.