Author (year)	Included studies	Results	Conclusion(s)
Ainsworth (2007)32	-RCTs: 0 -Uncontrolled: 10 Case series: 8 Case studies: 2	-“Due to the heterogeneity of outcome measures used, it was not possible to combine results.” -“All studies improvement and outcome scores were reported.”	-“Some evidence exists to support the use of exercises in the management of full thickness rotator cuff tears”
Sieda (2010)81	-Included: 137 66 controlled 71 uncontrolled	-Non-operative interventions:“ The strength of evidence was too low to make conclusions for any of the nonoperative interventions.” -Operative vs non-operative interventions: “The evidence was too limited to make conclusions regarding comparative effectiveness.” -Complications: “Because of low event rates, the benefits of receiving treatment for rotator cuff tears seems to outweigh the risks of associated harms.” -Prognostic factors: Older age, increased tear size, and greater preoperative symptoms were associated with recurrent tears	-“Evidence on the operative effectiveness and harms a various operative and nonoperative treatments for rotator cuff tears is limited and inconclusive.”
Ryosa (2016)45	-RCTs: 3	-Constant score: 1 yr follow-up Effect size: 5.6 (95% CI; -0.41 to 11.62) favouring surgery (P > 0.05, NS) -Pain VAS: 1 yr follow-up 10 cm scale: -0.93 (95% CI -1.65 to -0.21) favouring surgery (P = 0.012; but below MCID)	-“There is limited evidence that surgery is not more effective in treating rotator cuff tear then conservative treatment alone.” -“Conservative approaches abdicated as the initial treatment modality.”

CI, confidence interval; Constant score; Constant-murley shoulder outcome score; MCID, minimal clinical important difference; NR, not reported; NS, not statistically significant; Pain VAS, pain visual analog scale; RCTs, randomized control trials; yr, year