Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 14, 2025

10:10
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
43.7K
Return to Golf After Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review
Hytham S Salem1, Do H Park1, Stephen G Thon1
1Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
|July 18, 2020
Summary
Most golfers can return to the sport about 6 months after shoulder arthroplasty. Return to golf (RTG) rates vary by implant type, with anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) showing higher rates than reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) or hemiarthroplasty (HA).
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Increasing prevalence of shoulder arthritis in golfers aged 65 and older.
- Lack of established guidelines for return to golf (RTG) post-shoulder arthroplasty.
- Need for evidence-based recommendations for golfers undergoing shoulder replacement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review current literature on return to golf (RTG) after shoulder arthroplasty.
- To analyze factors influencing RTG, including surgical technique, rehabilitation, and time to return.
- To provide data to help physicians counsel patients on resuming golf post-surgery.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for studies on shoulder arthroplasty and golf.
- Included studies investigating RTG after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), shoulder hemiarthroplasty (HA), and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA).
Main Results:
- 10 studies were included, with 8 providing golf-specific RTG data.
- RTG rates after TSA ranged from 89% to 100% (5.1-8.4 months follow-up).
- RTG rates were lower for HA (54%) and RSA (50%-79%) compared to TSA.
Conclusions:
- Patients typically resume golf around 6 months after shoulder arthroplasty.
- Anatomic TSA may offer higher RTG rates than HA or RSA.
- Findings aid in counseling patients on post-arthroplasty golf participation.
