Predictive factors for return to work after shoulder arthroplasty.

Authors

Willem Geuskens, Alexander Poelmans, Anthony Timmerman, Willem-Jan Metsemakers, Filip Verhaegen, Philippe Debeer

Published in

Journal of shoulder and elbow arthroplasty. Volume 10. Issue 4. Pages 100058. Epub Jun 26, 2026.

Abstract

Return to work (RTW) is a crucial outcome parameter for active patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. However, literature reporting on RTW rates is scarce. The purpose of this study was to assess the RTW rate following shoulder arthroplasty in patients of working age and to identify factors associated with successful RTW.
This retrospective cohort study included patients under 63 years of age who underwent shoulder arthroplasty with a minimal follow-up of 2 years. Participants completed 2 types of questionnaires: a work-specific questionnaire and questionnaires to assess their shoulder function (the Patient-Derived Constant Murley Score, the Subjective Shoulder Value, Oxford Shoulder Score, the Simple Shoulder Test, and a Work-Related Questionnaire for Upper extremity disorders). Factors related to RTW were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and chi-squared test.
Out of the 103 included patients, 69 (67.0%) returned to work, with 40 of them (58.0%) resuming their previous job full-time. The mean time to RTW was 16 weeks. Factors associated with successful RTW included higher educational level, less physically demanding work, pre-operative sick leave of less than one year, and post-operative support received at work. Age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, type of procedure, indication for surgery, and post-operative complications did not significantly influence RTW rates. Patients who returned to work showed significantly better patient-reported outcome measures.
Sixty-seven percent of patients successfully returned to work after shoulder arthroplasty. Predictive factors for successful RTW included educational level, job physicality, pre-operative sick leave, and the extent of post-operative support received at work. Neither the type of arthroplasty, indication for surgery, presence of complications nor the need for revision surgery significantly impacted RTW outcomes. These findings may guide pre-operative counseling and help to manage post-operative work-related expectations in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty.

PMID:
42571410
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Aug 2026.

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