Return to Activities after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Rotator cuff tear is one of the most common disorders in orthopedic surgery. When conservative treatment fails, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has become the most common procedure to achieve a functional shoulder. OBJECTIVES: The articles on return to activities following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair have not been collectively analyzed and investigated. We aimed to review systematically and perform a meta-analysis of studies on the return to activities which consist of the return to work, return to sports, and return to daily activities following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. METHODS: Articles regarding return-to-activities were systematically searched using databases of PubMed, MEDLINE via EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest. The review was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guideline. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [ID: CRD42022318293]. Studies with a level of evidence 1-4 that examined the rate of return to activities after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were included and analyzed. RESULTS: Fifteen studies published between 2005 and 2021 were included, with 1065 patients. The patient populations are workers and athletes. The meta-analysis on the combined effect of a return to activities using the random-effects model was 88.5% (83.8% on return to work, 88.2% on return to sport, and 97.3% on return to daily activities). The mean duration for return to activities is 6.59 months. The return to activities is positively influenced by the female population, heavy workers, longer duration of symptoms, surgery in the dominant arm, and massive tear may have negatively affected the ability to RTA. CONCLUSION: As much as 88.5% of patients were able to return to activities after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with a mean duration of 6.59 months. Preoperative factors may contribute to the rate and duration of return to sports. Clinical Relevance: Clinicians can educate the patients regarding the rate, duration, and factors that contribute to return to activities (return to work, sport, and daily activities) after arthroscopic surgery rotator cuff repair.