Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025
10:10
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
43.3K
Return to work following shoulder arthroplasty: A systematic review
Simon P Lalehzarian1, Avinesh Agarwalla2, Joseph N Liu3
1The Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States.
World Journal of Orthopedics
|October 3, 2022
Summary
Most patients return to work (RTW) after shoulder replacement surgery within 1-4 months. Return to work rates vary by job demand, with higher rates for sedentary roles and lower rates for physically demanding jobs.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Patient-centered care increasingly emphasizes return to work (RTW) after shoulder replacement.
- Rising rates of shoulder arthroplasty (total shoulder arthroplasty, reverse TSA, hemiarthroplasty) in the workforce necessitate understanding RTW outcomes.
- Younger patient demographics undergoing these procedures further highlight the importance of functional recovery and return to employment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and analyze return to work (RTW) outcomes following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), reverse TSA (rTSA), and shoulder hemiarthroplasty (HA).
- To investigate the impact of workers' compensation status on RTW rates and patient ability after shoulder replacement.
- To provide evidence-based guidelines for expected RTW timelines based on surgical procedure and work demands.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
- Comprehensive search of four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library) and Reference Citation Analysis.
- Inclusion of English-language studies with Level I-IV evidence published up to January 2021, focusing on RTW after shoulder arthroplasty.
Main Results:
- The majority of patients successfully return to work (RTW) within one to four months post-shoulder arthroplasty.
- RTW rates were highest for TSA (71%-93%), followed by HA (69%-82%), and rTSA (56%-65%).
- Workers' compensation status was found to negatively impact clinical outcomes and RTW ability; sedentary/light jobs showed higher RTW rates than moderate/heavy jobs.
Conclusions:
- A significant majority of patients can return to work after undergoing shoulder arthroplasty.
- Understanding specific RTW outcomes for different shoulder replacement types is crucial for managing patient expectations in clinical practice.
- The findings provide a basis for counseling patients on expected recovery and return to work timelines.