Dr. Musahl’s research interests include knee and shoulder biomechanics. Dr. Musahl and Richard Debski, PhD, Associate Professor of Bioengineering and Orthopaedic Surgery, work together in the Orthopaedic Robotics Labortory (ORL) in Pittsburgh, and are examining older individuals with rotator cuff tears. They are examining the size and location of the tear with the goal of helping surgeons to determine what forms and combinations of treatment — injections, physical therapy, or surgery — are most effective. They also are building computational models that forecast various scenarios by varying the properties of thetear and surrounding tissue. Another research project focused on the impact of exercise therapy on torn rotator cuffs. Patients underwent 12 weeks of exercise therapy: six weeks with a physical therapist, and six weeks of a home-based program that focused on restoring range of motion and strengthening the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. Patients had x-rays taken before and after physical therapy to assess improvements in shoulder movement. The results of this study will be presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society 2015 Annual Meeting.The results of the research conducted in the ORL are moving the needle on the availability of evidence-based decision-making tools for surgeons regarding the treatment of rotator cuff tears. Future ORL research will focus on tear chronicity to determine how the age of a tear affects how it propagates and impacts surrounding tissue.