Will I be withdrawn from the study if I do not have my assigned treatment?
No, we will continue to follow you as planned even if you switch treatment groups or do not pursue treatment at all.
Can I pursue a different treatment after 6 months?
Yes. For example, if you are assigned to the non-operative (physical therapy) treatment group and later wish to have surgery on your shoulder, you can. We just ask that you wait 6 months before doing so, so we can accurately measure the effectiveness of your initial assigned treatment.
How long do I need to stick with my assigned treatment?
It takes 6 months for either treatment to be fully effective. Therefore, we ask participants to stick with their assigned treatment for at least 6 months.
How soon do I need to start treatment for my shoulder?
We ask that you begin treatment within 8 weeks of enrolling in the trial. If there is too much difference between when people start treatment, it makes it difficult to accurately compare treatment results among participants. However, if for some reason you are unable to begin treatment within 8 weeks (2 months), you will still [...]
Can I choose which treatment I receive?
This is a randomized controlled trial, which means that if you choose to participate in the study, you will NOT choose which treatment you receive. You will be randomly assigned to either operative (surgery + physical therapy) or non-operative (physical therapy without surgery). There is a 50-50 chance of being in either group, regardless of [...]