A preliminary power analysis has been performed to determine the necessary number of patients for each group (alpha level =.05 and beta level = .20). Data from this institution suggests an 80% healing rate within this age group for small and medium size rotator cuff tears fixed with double-row cuff repair techniques. Given a presumed healing rate of 80% in the immobilization group, the numbers necessary to detect a difference in healing of 20% between the two rehabilitation protocols is 70 subjects in each group. Assuming a conservative attrition rate of 20%, we will estimate that a total of 170 subjects will need to be enrolled in this study.