Comparison of 1- and 3-week immobilization following arthroscopic shoulder stabilization: a prospective study

Key points

1. 01Compared 1 week versus 3 weeks of absolute immobilization after arthroscopic anterior capsulolabral repair (AACR) of the shoulder.
2. 02Pain at rest, at night, and during activity was similar between the two groups.
3. 03Range of motion and shoulder function (ASES score) did not differ between groups.
4. 04Earlier mobilization (1 week) produced higher shoulder flexion at 4 weeks after surgery.
5. 05Only one re-dislocation occurred, and it was in the 3-week immobilization group.

How it was conducted

Design

Prospective comparative study

Participants

50 shoulder AACR patients (1-week immobilization group: 26 patients)

Groups

1 week versus 3 weeks of absolute immobilization

Outcomes

Pain intensity, shoulder range of motion, and function (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, ASES, score)

Assessment timing

Evaluated at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery and at final follow-up; re-dislocation questioned at final follow-up

What they found

• Range of motion was similar in both groups at the post-operative assessment timepoints (p > 0.05).
• Pain intensity was similar between groups at rest (p = 0.40), at night (p = 0.22), and during activity (p = 0.49).
• No difference in shoulder function was observed between the two groups (p = 0.99).
• Only one re-dislocation occurred, and it was in the 3-week immobilization group.
• Earlier mobilization led to higher shoulder flexion at 4 weeks after surgery.

Limitations

• Small sample (50 patients total) limits the ability to detect smaller differences between groups.
• Reported as a prospective study without a stated randomization or allocation method, raising the risk of group differences.
• The available text reports few exact effect sizes, so most outcomes are described only by p-values.
• Re-dislocation was based on patient questioning at follow-up rather than a uniform imaging or examination protocol.

Why it matters

For patients

If you have had arthroscopic shoulder stabilization, a shorter 1-week sling period may be as safe and effective as 3 weeks and could let your shoulder move more freely sooner.

For clinicians

Either 1-week or 3-week absolute immobilization after AACR can be selected based on the patient's situation, since pain, range of motion, function, and recurrence were comparable.

For readers

This small prospective study suggests immobilization duration after shoulder stabilization may matter less than once assumed, but larger randomized trials are needed to confirm it.