189 patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear and scheduled for mini-open repair were randomized to either early mobilization or 6-week sling immobilization postoperatively. The purpose of this study was to compare shoulder range of motion, pain, and disease-specific quality of life over a follow-up period of 24-months. The results demonstrated no significant differences between groups in outcomes of interest, with the exception of significantly greater abduction and scapular plane elevation in the early mobilization group compared to the sling immobilization group at 6-weeks. There were no other differences in the range of motion between groups at any other time point.