This study compares the responses of 18 patients treated with Depomedrone with those of 19 patients in a control group. The two groups were similar with respect to age, sex and the incidence of demonstrable ruptures. There was a significant improvement in analgesic consumption at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 6 for patients in the Depomedrone group but only at week 4 for patients in the control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups at weeks 1 and 2. There was a significant improvement in pain score for patients treated with Depomedrone for all except week 3. There were no significant differences between the two groups. There were no significant improvements with either form of treatment for abduction before rotation of the scapula, full abduction or external rotation, nor were there any significant differences between the two groups. In the control group, 56% had pain on resisted abduction at week 3 compared with 6% in the Depomedrone group and this difference was statistically significant. There were no other significant differences between the two groups, nor were there any differences in the incidence of tenderness or of a painful arc. In patients with ruptures of the supraspinatus tendon, the addition of Depomedrone to an analgesic injection conferred some subjective benefit by the relief of pain but had no objective effect in improving the range of movement.