Most patients who undergo anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty at age 55 years or younger return to work 2.1 months after surgery on average, according to a study in Orthopedics.
Here are five things to know:
1. The study is a retrospective review of consecutive anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty patients' ability to return to work postoperatively. The review included patients who were aged 55 or younger at surgery, with more than two years of follow-up and employment within three years of surgery.
2. The study authors stratified employment by physical intensity of work. They also assessed time out of work.
3. The study evaluated 52 patients who worked before surgery, with an average age of 48.4 years; 73 percent were male, and the average BMI was 28 kilograms per square meter.
4. The majority — 92 percent — of patients returned to work postoperatively after an average of 2.1 months. All patients with sedentary, light, or moderate work returned, while 64 percent returned to physically heavy work. The majority — 87 percent — were satisfied to very satisfied after surgery.
5. The study authors claim that as younger patients undergo anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties, postoperative return to work becomes an increasingly important measure.
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