In the rehabilitation process of rotator cuff repair, it is necessary to ensure that the exercise does not interfere with the tendon-bone healing process and avoid the adhesion and pain caused by excessive braking. Therefore, the phased functional exercise program is usually adopted in clinical work. However, pain, muscular atrophy, even sleep disturbances, and joint stiffness are still thorny problems that trouble patients and doctors in the process of rehabilitation. Daoyin therapy is one of the traditional therapies used for health care in China. It stretches the muscles and ligaments through limb movements and achieves the purpose of exercise with respiration. Its movements are more soothing with adjusting the body and the heart, so it has natural advantages in the rehabilitation of orthopedic diseases. The "Shi's twelve-word life cultivation skill" created and compiled by Professor Shi Qi of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a modern development of traditional Daoyin. It is highly targeted and quickly popularized with good effect when applied to shoulder cervical and lumbar diseases.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Daoyin therapy in early functional rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair from the perspective of supraspinatus muscle morphology.

The patients with small or medium supraspinatus tendon tears who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were randomly divided into the routine and Daoyin rehabilitation groups. The routine rehabilitation group followed the current staged rehabilitation plan, and the Daoyin rehabilitation group added the Daoyin therapy in stages based on routine rehabilitation. Musculoskeletal ultrasound was performed on the affected shoulder before surgery and at the 4^th week, 2^nd month, 3^rd month, and 6^th month. The evaluation included supraspinatus cross-sectional area and supraspinatus tendon healing six months after surgery.

A total of 89 patients were included, and 81 of them completed the follow-up, with 41 in the conventional rehabilitation group and 40 in the Daoyin rehabilitation group. The cross-sectional area of the supraspinatus muscle of the Daoyin rehabilitation group was significantly better than that of the conventional rehabilitation group at all follow-up points (P<0.05) . In addition, the muscle area exceeded that of pre-operation at 2^nd month after the operation in the Daoyin rehabilitation group. At the same time, the same target was achieved till six months after the procedure in the conventional rehabilitation group. No significant difference was found in retear rate between the two rehabilitation groups.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound studies have revealed the early disuse atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle after rotator cuff repair. The Daoyin rehabilitation can effectively reduce the degree and duration of supraspinatus atrophy without increasing the incidence of rotator cuff retear.