The purpose of this study is to investigate the sports activities after rotator cuff repair. We examined 11 shoulders of 11 patients with rotator cuff tear who participated in sports activities before the operations. There were 9 males and 2 females. The mean age was fifty-five years old. The period from injury to the operation was 3.8 months. We examined the kinds of sports, competition level, operative findings, range of motion, muscle strength of the shoulder, JOA score and the sports activities after the operation. The mean of the follow up periods was 31.7 months. The kinds of sports were golf, baseball, softball, tennis, volleyball, dance and aikido. One patient was competition level and the other 10 were recreational level. Two patients underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, 9 patients underwent mini-open cuff repair. Ten had full-thickness tear and one had bursal-side partial-thickness tear. After the operation, the range of motion and the muscle strength of the shoulder were improved nearly equal to the unaffected side. The mean of the JOA score was 69 points before the operation and that improved 92 point after the operation. Ten patients (91%) could return to previous sports activities, 1 couldn't return to previous sports activities because of renal disease. The middle or old aged patients who participate in sports activities can be expected to return to sports activities after rotator cuff repair.
