Rotator cuff repair

atibrat
atibrat Posts: 70 Member
edited October 2016 in Challenges
I had surgery 4 weeks ago for rotator cuff repair, scar tissue removal and some type of decompression. I hurt... I can't do hardly any exercise, even walking much jostles the shoulder. Doing passive range of motion with PT. This gets better right? My cervical fusion was so much easier. Because of pain and restrictions of movement I am depressed and just want to eat.

Months down the road I will be in the gym getting my muscles in shape as much as I can. I know I will be glad I did this soon but right now it sucks. I am divorced and live alone, with 2 parrots and 2 cats. Hard.

At least going through this I will appreciate the ability to get back in the gym and work out. I will not forget what it feels like to not be able to do much. I am so deconditionded from the last 3 1/2 years between my herniated disc, cervical fusion 2 years later and now the shoulder surgery a year overdue.

Replies

  • slider728
    slider728 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I had my shoulder hurt in a car accident which required a rotator cuff surgery to remove some broken cartilage that was irritating the tendons and some of the tendons were sewn up with what looked like nylon cord to me.

    I was young. 28ish I am thinking?

    HI thought the surgery was bad, but the PT afterward was a whole new level of pain. Honestly, I was able to walk without excessive pain fairly quick. I think that was within 3 weeks. Week 6 I started PT and that went on for about 11 weeks. After 11 weeks, my insurance company booted me from PT even though I was told I was going to be in PT for about 6 months

    After PT, I was about 90% functional. I had almost complete range of motion back (to this day, I cannot move my hand along my spine behind me as well as I can with my good arm, but that is not a motion I really miss except when I get an itch). It did take me probably another 6 months to have enough strength to do pushups. I can distinctly remember trying to do pushups and I would always collapse to the side of my bad shoulder.

    It was probably 2 or 3 years until I was pain free.

    It was a long road to recovery, but I thank God everyday that I had that surgery and recovered as well as I did! At my worst, I could not pick up a textbook in my bad arm. Now, my arm works as good as one would expect with an overweight desk jockey like myself :)
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited October 2016
    2 rotator cuff surgeries here.

    Right - ski injury. Left - lifting injury.

    For both:
    Arm in sling: 6-8 wks.
    PT: 6-8 weeks.
    Pain, stiffness and weakness in arm for 6-12 months.

    Full use of arm w/strength and w/o pain:
    Right - 1yr
    Left - 3 yrs

    PS: OP, if you want more responses, you may want to repost your queary in the "Fitness & Exercise" subforum rather than here in the "Challenges" subforum.

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