Response to: ‘Correspondence on ‘Non-surgical and surgical treatments for rotator cuff disease: a pragmatic randomised clinical trial with 2-year follow-up after initial rehabilitation’’ by Randelli et al

We warmly thank Randelli and coworkers for their interest in our work.1 Our randomised, pragmatic, controlled trial compared surgical non-surgical treatments rotator cuff disease (RCD) with or without full-thickness tendon tears after unsuccessful initial rehabilitation.2 Randelli commented that the power of study lies fact potential eligible patients underwent a systematic, adequately performed 3-month rehabilitation, which only who remained symptomatic were randomised; we agree. Symptoms alleviated 102 417 shoulders chronic RCD (mean duration symptoms 9 months before recruitment) during 3 month, pragmatic nonoperative treatment. This indicates conservative management should be carried out all considering treatment tear. Randelli criticised us not reporting baseline characteristics prespecified subgroups (RCD rupture). They also noted while 25% …