Publications
Can MyotonPRO Be Used to Assess the Muscles Surrounding the Shoulder Joint in Patients Who Have Undergone Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair (ARCR) and Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty (RSA)? A Review of the Current Evidence
Authors: Agnieszka Tomczyk-Warunek 1, Bartosz Cukierman 2, Piotr Nalewaj 1, Marcin Krzysztof Wasko 3, Piotr Piech 1, 4, Anna Winiarska 5, Tomasz Skrzypek 6, Magdalena Lis 6, Andrea Weronika Gieleta 7, Jaromir Jarecki 1
Affiliations:
- Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-954 Lublin, Poland
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, Independent Public Health Care Facility in Sokolka, St. Gen. Wl. Sikorskiego 40, 16-100 Sokolka, Poland
- Department of Radiology and Imaging, The Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Correct, Clinical and Imaging Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
- Department of Bromatology and Nutrition Physiology, Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
- Department of Biomedicine and Environmental Research, Faculty of Medicine, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Mater Dei Hospital Tal Qroqq, Block A, 2090 Msida, Malta
Journal: Journal of Clinical Medicine - March 2026, Volume 15, Issue 5, Article no. 2039 (DOI: 10.3390/jcm15052039)
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Field & Applications:
- Review
- Medical
- Orthopedics
- Treatment evaluation
- Recovery from injury
- Reliability
Myoton Clarification Note: A Guide to Interpreting the Inverse Relationship Between Logarithmic Decrement and Tissue Elasticity
Background/Objectives: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) are among the most commonly used surgical treatment methods. A growing number of studies assess the changes in the biomechanical and viscoelastic properties of the muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the literature to determine how the biomechanical properties of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint change as a result of ARCR and RSA, and whether MyotonPRO was used in this group of patients.
Methods: A review of the international scientific literature was conducted in September 2025. The study was based on searches of the following databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A final total of 32 articles were included in the review.
Results: In this article, we have shown that ARCR and RSA procedures cause changes in the biomechanical properties of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint. We also demonstrated that MyotonPRO has been used in this group of patients in a limited number of studies. However, the studies confirm that it is a reliable tool for examining upper limb muscles.
Conclusions: This literature review demonstrates a new direction in research using MyotonPRO. Using this device in muscle testing in patients after ARCR and RSA will allow for a better understanding of the changes that occur in muscles as a result of these procedures, as research in this area is new and incomplete.
Keywords: arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), biomechanical properties, viscoelastic properties, MyotonPRO, shoulder joint
This scoping review demonstrates that surgical procedures such as arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) are associated with measurable changes in the biomechanical properties of shoulder-region muscles, as assessed primarily by elastography and electromyography.
However, direct evidence regarding the use of MyotonPRO in patients after ARCR and RSA remains extremely limited. Only isolated studies have applied this device in postoperative shoulder populations, and no robust longitudinal trials specifically addressing postoperative biomechanical adaptation using MyotonPRO are currently available.
Indirect evidence from studies conducted in other clinical contexts suggests that MyotonPRO is a technically feasible and reliable tool for assessing biomechanical and viscoelastic muscle properties in shoulder-region musculature. Nevertheless, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to postoperative ARCR/RSA populations.
Given the heterogeneity of existing studies, small sample sizes, and variability in assessment protocols, the current evidence should be interpreted as exploratory. Well-designed prospective studies with standardized measurement protocols are required before MyotonPRO can be recommended for routine clinical implementation in patients undergoing ARCR or RSA.
Future research integrating MyotonPRO with imaging and functional outcome measures may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of postoperative muscular adaptation following shoulder reconstructive procedures.