Ming Zhang,1,2 Yu Zhang2 

1School of Nursing, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225001, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Yu Zhang, School of Nursing, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225001, People’s Republic of China, Email yizhangyu@yzu.edu.cn

Objective: Postoperative rehabilitation is particularly important for Rotator cuff injury. However, type 2 diabetic patients with RCI (T2DM-RCI) are at an elevated risk of rehabilitation failure. The factors influencing the postoperative rehabilitation management of these patients have yet to be elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the postoperative rehabilitation of T2DM-RCI patients.
Methods: Data was collected using a descriptive qualitative research design. The sample included 22 interviewees, who were recruited in Subei People’s Hospital according to the purposive sampling method. Colaizzi’s method was employed for the purpose of evaluation in the course of the data analysis.
Findings: Thematic analysis of the postoperative rehabilitation views of the interviewees identified eight sub-themes connected to three main themes in accordance with the Behaviour Change Wheel Theory. These were capability-related, opportunity-related, and motivation-related factors.
Conclusion: It is imperative to enhance the glycaemic control and health perception of T2DM-RCI patients. To this end, rehabilitation programmes, comprising exercise and dietary modifications, must be tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Furthermore, it is crucial to harness the potential of family and social support to motivate patients to maintain a positive outlook.

Keywords: postoperative rehabilitation, qualitative study, type 2 diabetic, rotator cuff injury, facilitating/obstructing factors