1 in 4 manual laborers change their profession after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: study

Although arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is widely performed for rotator cuff tears, the extent to which manual laborers can return to their original occupations remains unclear. Philippe Collin et al conducted a study to evaluate the proportion of manual workers who change or discontinue their professional activity following ARCR. The article has been published in JBJS Open Access.

A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent ARCR by a single surgeon. Inclusion criteria were a minimum follow-up of 9 years and employment in a manual labor occupation before surgery. Patients completed a long-term follow-up assessment, which included a professional activity questionnaire (primary outcome) and shoulder function evaluations (secondary outcome).

The key findings of the study were:

• A total of 165 patients (55 women, 110 men; mean age 53 ± 5 years at the time of surgery) were followed for an average of 11 ± 1 years.

• Of these, 128 patients (77%) resumed the same occupation postoperatively, while 37 patients (23%) changed or discontinued their work.

• There was no group difference for the subjective shoulder value at the final follow-up between physical workers and repetitive workers (p = 0.75).

• A significant association was found between occupational change and poorer shoulder function, as reflected by lower Constant scores (p = 0.008).

• The median time to occupational change was 12 months (interquartile range: 6-60 months). The mean was 29.7 ± 33.8 months.

• Change in professional activity was not associated with the presence of a full-thickness retear (p = 0.70), initial tear type (p = 0.23), or sex (p = 0.09). However, salaried employees were more likely to change their occupation than self-employed individuals (p = 0.02).

The authors concluded - “Most manual workers can maintain their original occupation following ARCR. However, approximately 1 in 4 patients changes or abandons their job, potentially due to suboptimal shoulder function. Self-employed individuals appear less likely to modify their professional activity.”

Level of Evidence: Level IV 

For further details on the article refer to:

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair and Subsequent Career Changes in Manual Workers. A Long-term Observational Study

Philippe Collin et al

JBJS Open Access 2026:e25.00311. http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.OA.25.00311