Recently the use of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has increased because of a clinical perception of durable functional outcome. However, some patients unexpectedly have a poor recovery of range of motion (ROM) after surgery. Objective factors such as initial diagnosis, pre- and intra-operative ROM, deltoid impairment or arm lengthening have previously been associated with anterior forward flexion (AFF). This study sought to determine if subjective pre-operative factors influence the rate and timing of ROM recovery after RSA.