Incapacity of work after arthroscopic Bankart repair.
BACKGROUND
The incapacity with respect to work following anterior-inferior shoulder dislocation and subsequent Bankart repair has not been previously examined. The objective of this study was to examine a patient's incapacity according to the classification by the REFA Association. The recovery time was measured and the outcome of patients with heavy workload was compared to those with lower workloads.


METHODS
A total of 74 patients who underwent isolated arthroscopic Bankart repair fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The Constant-Murley Score, UCLA Shoulder Score and ROWE Score for Shoulder Instability were recorded for clinical assessment. The mean follow-up time was 43.1 months (SD ± 17.4; 24-110 months) with a mean age of 34.7 years (SD ± 12.6). Workload was classified as per the REFA Association classification system. Postoperative duration of a patient's incapacity with respect to work and other subjective ratings were provided by the patients themselves.


RESULTS
The mean incapacity of work was 2.73 months (95 % CI 1.19-5.36). The incapacity of work was 2.06 months (95 % CI 1.55-2.68) in the group with low physical strains at work (REFA 0-1) and 3.40 months (95 % CI 2.70-4.24) in the group with heavy workload (REFA 2-4/p = 0.005). Overall, the mean Constant-Murley Score was 87.7 (SD ± 13.5). The average UCLA Shoulder Score summed up to 31.9 (SD ± 3.87) and the mean ROWE Score was 87.6 (SD ± 21.7). 13 (17.5 %) patients had problems to compete in their jobs. Three patients had to change the job postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, a relationship between the time of incapacity of work and the workload was observed; patients with low physical strains returned significantly earlier to work after arthroscopic Bankart repair (p = 0.005). In general, the clinical results as measured in the Constant/UCLA/Rowe score were comparable to other studies.
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. kraus.tobias@gmail.com.
Tobias M
TM
Kraus
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. tfreude@bgu-tuebingen.de.
Thomas
T
Freude
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Sebastian
S
Fiedler
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Steffen
S
Schröter
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Ulrich
U
Stöckle
BG Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Atesch
A
Ateschrang
D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D062707:Return to Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
Bankart repair; Incapacity of work; Return to work; Shoulder dislocation; Shoulder instability