Rotator Cuff Repair in Adolescent Athletes

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Rotator cuff tears are uncommon in adolescents but can cause significant morbidity if missed.
• Existing literature on adolescent rotator cuff repair is limited, offering little guidance for treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the functional outcomes and return-to-sport rates in adolescent athletes after rotator cuff repair.
• To identify any challenges faced by adolescent athletes, particularly overhead athletes, post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 32 patients under 18 who underwent rotator cuff repair (2006-2014) with at least 2 years of follow-up.
• Data collected included demographics, surgical details, return to play, performance, complications, pain scores, and validated outcome measures (ASES, WORC).

Main Results:

• 93% of adolescent athletes returned to their previous or higher level of sports participation.
• Excellent functional outcomes were observed, with high ASES (93) and WORC (89%) scores and low pain (0.3).
• Overhead athletes achieved return to play, but 57% had to change positions.

Conclusions:

• Surgical repair of rotator cuff tears in adolescents results in successful outcomes and good functional recovery.
• Adolescent athletes can expect a high rate of return to sport, though overhead athletes may face positional adjustments.