Objective: To evaluate the effect of surgical treatment of the impingement syndrome of the shoulder on the fitness for work.
Design: Retrospective.
Setting: Academic Hospital Groningen, department of Orthopaedics, the Netherlands.
Patients and methods: A group of 31 patients who had undergone an anterior shoulder decompression between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1993 because of shoulder symptoms due to impingement lasting more than one year, were subjected in January 1996 to a study of the effect of the treatment on the pain, fitness for work and participation in the labour process. The results were measured using an objectivated score list for pain and function and with a comparison of the labour situations before and after the operation as described by the patients.
Results: End results as measured with the score list were fair to good in 97 patients (74%). The numbers of those completely fit for work before operation and at follow-up were identical, viz. 45 out of 131 (34%). Thirty-four patients (26%) had other jobs or adjusted activities and 37 (28%) were completely unfit for work (together 71 patients: 54%); 15 patients (11%) had stopped working for reasons of age. The probability to be definitely rejected for work after the operation was increased significantly by a job causing shoulder overstrain and by having been on sick leave with pay prior to the operation.
Conclusion: Although the objective results were reasonably good, the percentage of those completely fit for work was not changed appreciably by the surgical treatment.