In addition to tendon healing, one of the primary goals following shoulder surgery is the early restoration of range of motion of the joint. Stiffness is one of the more common complications following shoulder surgery. Early range of motion helps to prevent the formation of adhesions within the joint and surrounding capsule and ligaments. Although most cuff repair constructs provide sufficient stability for early range of motion, the effect of motion at the repair site and the subsequent effect on healing are unknown in humans. Concerns regarding a deleterious effect of early motion on tendon healing have led some investigators to advocate substantially more conservative rehab after surgery. A delay in motion at the shoulder may theoretically improve the rate of tendon healing as stresses are minimized across the tendon repair site. This may be particularly important given that tendon repair constructs gradually becomes weaker before a more mature healing response occurs. However, a delay in motion will slow the return of mobility to the shoulder and may increase the risk of prolonged stiffness. Therefore, the clinician must balance the potential benefit (prevention of stiffness) against the potential harm (compromise of the surgical repair) of early rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair surgery. Despite the critical role early motion may have, there have been no published studies examining the influence of postoperative rehabilitation on the clinical outcomes and repair integrity following rotator cuff repair.