Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Return to normal activities/work
Systematic review	1279 people 8 RCTs in this analysis	Time to usual activities after 3 months with open mesh repair with open suture repair	HR 0.81 95% CI 0.73 to 0.91 Results were heterogeneous and influenced by data from one RCT. After adjustment for heterogeneity, difference between groups was not significant; see further information on studies for full details	Small effect size	open mesh repair
RCT	100 men; 5 bilateral hernias	Time to return to normal activity 5.1 weeks with open mesh repair 5.1 weeks with open suture repair	Difference 0 weeks 95% CI –1.6 weeks to +1.6 weeks See further information on studies for details on generalisability and power		Not significant
RCT	106 people; 100 primary hernias, 6 recurrent hernias	Time off work 15 days with open mesh repair 25 days with open suture repair	P <0.01 See further information on studies for details on generalisability and power	Effect size not calculated	open mesh repair
RCT	196 men; 216 primary inguinal hernias	Time to return to work 21.39 days with open mesh repair 28.24 days with open suture repair	P <0.05 See further information on studies for details on generalisability and power	Effect size not calculated	open mesh repair