Shoulder activity of the contralateral shoulder as a prognostic factor in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the prognosticator of the contralateral rotator cuff in patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) for symptomatic rotator cuff tear (RCT). METHODS: A total of 104 patients with a mean age of 64.7 years (range, 40–83 years) underwent ARCR and were checked for the presence of a contralateral RCT using preoperative ultrasonography. Preoperative demographic data, including patients’ occupations and sports activities, were also evaluated. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period for the operated shoulder was 25.0 months (range, 12–72 months). An RCT of the contralateral shoulder was observed in 40 of the 104 (38.5%) patients. Contralateral shoulder pain was observed in 16 (40%) and 15 (23.1%) patients in the RCT group preoperatively and the non-tear group, respectively. Of the 31 patients with shoulder pain, a poor prognosis was seen in 17 (54.8%). Statistical significance was observed between the active and sedentary groups in the RCT group, with eight patients (30.8%) in the active group and none in the sedentary group having a poor prognosis (P = .02). In contrast, in the non-tear group, a poor prognosis was observed in four patients (10.5%) in the active group, which was not significantly different compared to the five patients (19.2%) in the sedentary group (P = .33). CONCLUSIONS: For patients in the active group, RCTs are a risk factor for poor prognosis in the contralateral shoulder of ARCR.