Impact of rotator cuff surgery on postoperative sporting activity

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are common injuries affecting athletes.
• Surgical interventions aim to restore function and enable return to sport.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on the impact of rotator cuff tear (RCT) surgery on postoperative sporting activity.
• To analyze return to sport (RTS) rates and levels of competition in professional and recreational athletes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search using PRISMA guidelines.
• Inclusion of studies on partial/full-thickness RCTs and open/arthroscopic surgery.
• Assessment of study quality using the Coleman Methodology Score (CMS).

Main Results:

• Twelve studies with 314 athletes were included; most had low evidence quality (Level III/IV).
• Mean time to RTS was 8.3 months; 79% returned to sport, 60.5% to pre-injury level.
• Professional overhead athletes had a 48% RTS rate to pre-injury level; recreational athletes achieved 69.4% RTS.

Conclusions:

• Rotator cuff tear surgery significantly influences postoperative competition levels for athletes.
• Arthroscopic surgery is common in professionals, with varying RTS rates for debridement vs. repair.
• Open repair in recreational athletes yielded a 70% RTS rate to the same competition level.