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Title: Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy – 2025 Clinical Guidelines Support What We Already Do Well

October 7, 2025 Comments Off on Title: Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy – 2025 Clinical Guidelines Support What We Already Do Well

At HealthPlus, we’re always reviewing the latest evidence to ensure our MSK and FCP services remain aligned with best practice. A recently published 2025 Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy—developed by an international team and endorsed by APTA and JOSPT—reiterates many of the approaches we already integrate across general practice and PCNs.

Here are the key messages that stood out and align with current UK MSK-FCP practice:

 Diagnosis: Clinical First

  • Emphasis is placed on clinical diagnosis, using subjective assessment and appropriate physical tests (e.g., painful arc, Hawkins-Kennedy).
  • Imaging is not recommended first-line—only if symptoms persist beyond 12 weeks or where red flags are present.
  • Consistent with NICE and NHSE MSK pathway advice.

 Management: Exercise as the Foundation

  • Exercise therapy remains the cornerstone—especially resistance-based and motor control programmes, tailored to patient goals and capacity.
  • Manual therapy, taping, and short-term NSAIDs may provide short-term relief but are not standalone interventions.
  • Corticosteroid injections and modalities (e.g., therapeutic ultrasound) are not first-line due to limited long-term value.

 Biopsychosocial Factors Matter

  • Importantly, the guideline reinforces a biopsychosocial approach: acknowledging how beliefs, anxiety, work stressors, and social context influence outcomes.
  • Validated tools and structured communication strategies are recommended to help identify and address these early.

 Return to Function/Sport

  • Return-to-activity is best guided by function and loading tolerance, not just arbitrary timelines.
  • This is especially relevant for working-age patients and athletes seen in primary care and FCP settings.

 A Reassuring Read for MSK Clinicians

This CPG is a strong endorsement of evidence-informed, patient-centred care that many of us already deliver within FCP and community MSK pathways. It reinforces the value of empowering patients with education, functionally progressive rehab, and thoughtful clinical reasoning—not protocol-driven care.

At HealthPlus, we’re proud to be delivering this level of care across our GP and PCN partnerships every day.

📚Want the full reference? The guideline is published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, April 2025 edition.

 Reference

Desmeules F, Roy J-S, Lafrance S, et al. Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: Diagnosis, Nonsurgical Medical Care, and Rehabilitation – A Clinical Practice Guideline. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025;55(4):235–274. doi:10.2519/jospt.2025.13182

Kind Regards,

Nihar Palan