Rate of return to work and driving following arthroscopic subacromial decompression.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the return to work and return to driving of a cohort of patients undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompressions +/- arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint excision.


METHODS
Arthroscopic subacromial decompressions +/- arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint excision were performed in 68 patients between February 2000 and November 2000. All patients had symptoms of subacromial impingement +/- acromioclavicular joint arthrosis for more than 6 months that had not settled with conservative treatment. All had positive local anaesthetic injection tests. All patients were followed up at 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Their Constant-Murley score was measured preoperatively and at 3 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Patients were asked to record when they had returned to work and when they had returned to driving.


RESULTS
Only one non-manual worker did not return to work within 6 weeks. Eighty-five per cent of manual workers returned to manual work within 3 months. Fifty-one patients held driving licences. The average time to return to driving was 28.9 days. Average preoperative Constant-Murley scores were 47.5 (20-67). At 3 weeks postoperation average Constant-Murley scores were 66.8 (40-92), and at 3 months 76.5 (48-99).
McClelland
Damian
D
Upper Limb Unit, Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust, Apley Castle, Telford, Shropshire, United Kingdom. d.mcclelland@talk21.com
Paxinos
Anastasios
A
Dodenhoff
Ronald M
RM
D000173:Acromioclavicular Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001334:Automobile Driving; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors