Inclusion Criteria:  patients had a small to medium-sized (less than 3 cm) full-thickness rotator cuff tear or, a Lafosse type II or III subscapularis tear diagnosed and repaired by shoulder arthroscope patients were willing to consent to post-operative rehabilitation randomization and commit to the two-year clinical follow-up period.  Exclusion Criteria:  pre-operative shoulder stiffness (defined as passive forward elevation less than 100 degrees and external rotation loss over 50% comparing to the contralateral side) an intra-operative irreparable cuff tear a prior ipsilateral shoulder surgery a history of systemic auto-immune disease or septic arthritis of the ipsilateral shoulder