Rotator tear recovery (supraspinatus)

jpaulie
jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
I got a small tear in my right rotator cuff back in March from doing pullups. It was very small and I was able to modify my workout and work around it with low weight while the tear healed.
However it is 9 months later and while the tear has healed the pain is still there. I use pensaid (steroid anti-inflammatory) for 2 weeks and am off it for 3 then back on. I want to get away from this.
Sports Dr gave me exercises to do and I have been doing them diligently. But I have really been at a roadblock and cannot increase weight as I progress.
Who else has had this and how long did it take to recover (or did you ever fully recover)?
Were there any therapy's that helped?

Replies

  • Dawna954
    Dawna954 Posts: 183 Member
    I had 4 tears in my rotator cuff. I responded well to acupuncture and deep tissue massage. That area is very hard to increase blood flow to repair the tissue. In the end I opted for cortisone injections which took away the pain. The cortisone did an amazing job for a time. Unfortunately for me, I fell on my shoulder while playing soccer and had to have surgery. It was the best thing I ever did! I am pain free and have full range of motion and strength back. I would however, suggest going to a surgeon, someone who specializes in shoulders and not just anyone. Do lots of research on your own so that you make an educated decision on treatment that is right for you. I tried to stay away from cortisone but in the end, it was the one thing that gave me complete relief from the pain, at least until I fell on it. Hope this helps and good luck!
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    If you had a small tear in the supraspinatus that has since healed you will probably not be able to find a surgeon who would touch it. If it was mild and has healed as you've said, any surgeon who would touch it is questionable. Rotator cuff surgery could cause greater issues than the ones you are having now.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    Dawna954 wrote: »
    I had 4 tears in my rotator cuff. I responded well to acupuncture and deep tissue massage. That area is very hard to increase blood flow to repair the tissue. In the end I opted for cortisone injections which took away the pain. The cortisone did an amazing job for a time. Unfortunately for me, I fell on my shoulder while playing soccer and had to have surgery. It was the best thing I ever did! I am pain free and have full range of motion and strength back. I would however, suggest going to a surgeon, someone who specializes in shoulders and not just anyone. Do lots of research on your own so that you make an educated decision on treatment that is right for you. I tried to stay away from cortisone but in the end, it was the one thing that gave me complete relief from the pain, at least until I fell on it. Hope this helps and good luck!

    I did have one cortisone shot and it helped for a short period. Did a second one make the difference?
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    Lofteren wrote: »
    If you had a small tear in the supraspinatus that has since healed you will probably not be able to find a surgeon who would touch it. If it was mild and has healed as you've said, any surgeon who would touch it is questionable. Rotator cuff surgery could cause greater issues than the ones you are having now.

    ya not looking at surgery, just trying to figure out how long the darn thing will be holding me back.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    maybe I will try a second shot
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I'm interested in following this thread. I have an impingement that I've been going to a chiropractor for. I have relief for the first few days after he works on me, but then the pain comes back. I'm seeing my primary care next week, and even my chiro is telling me to get an MRI. I also feel your frustration in how the injury is holding you back. I was making great progress in strength training and have had to back off for two months. Seeing that loss in muscle tone and strength after progress is really discouraging. Even more discouraging is the limitation in routine activities like reaching overhead on shelves for things or even putting on a seat belt. I don't know how you tolerated it as long as you did!
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    The shoulder can be difficult to recover because it's such an active joint. Assuming the tears are recovered, buy yourself a couple resistance bands and try the following to help strengthen the rotator cuff area.

    Pull-Aparts: http://youtu.be/NKBsia-o9N4
    Spider Crawls: http://youtu.be/IeKQCX-qvp8
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The shoulder can be difficult to recover because it's such an active joint. Assuming the tears are recovered, buy yourself a couple resistance bands and try the following to help strengthen the rotator cuff area.

    Pull-Aparts: http://youtu.be/NKBsia-o9N4
    Spider Crawls: http://youtu.be/IeKQCX-qvp8

    Thanks I will give that a try, I do something similar to the top one except Dr told me to keep my elbows locked to my side and pull the band out not moving elbows. Spider crawl looks good I will add to my routine today and see how it feels.
    Any idea how often I should be doing these type of strengthening exercises for shoulder? Is it something I can do every other day otherwise I would only do it on my shoulder days twice a week
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited January 2015
    jpaulie wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The shoulder can be difficult to recover because it's such an active joint. Assuming the tears are recovered, buy yourself a couple resistance bands and try the following to help strengthen the rotator cuff area.

    Pull-Aparts: http://youtu.be/NKBsia-o9N4
    Spider Crawls: http://youtu.be/IeKQCX-qvp8

    Thanks I will give that a try, I do something similar to the top one except Dr told me to keep my elbows locked to my side and pull the band out not moving elbows. Spider crawl looks good I will add to my routine today and see how it feels.
    Any idea how often I should be doing these type of strengthening exercises for shoulder? Is it something I can do every other day otherwise I would only do it on my shoulder days twice a week

    The pull-aparts you can do something everyday. The Spider Crawls... start with training days and maybe add a day and see how you feel. If you want to add, then add slowly because it's easier to take it back away then if it's too much. :)

    These are very good exercises and I believe in them as a means to help maintain rotator cuff health along with good mobility exercises. I believe that these almost literally saved me from shoulder surgery a few years ago.
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    I am a medical secretary who works for an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder surgery. Without really SEEING your tests results to see how big the tear is, etc... hard to really give advice. I'd hate to be held accountable.

    I would say though, consult an ortho surgeon, even if not looking for surgery. GOOD orthos do NOT just immediately see surgery as the only option. Cortisone injections are fine. There are people who get them every 6 or so months. Some less. Some more.

    I'd also recommend seeing a licensed physiotherapist. Get proper exercises, learn them, tell them you want pain free mobility. Stick with it and have them follow you. Go to follow ups.

    Best I can tell you. Good luck.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    jpaulie wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    The shoulder can be difficult to recover because it's such an active joint. Assuming the tears are recovered, buy yourself a couple resistance bands and try the following to help strengthen the rotator cuff area.

    Pull-Aparts: http://youtu.be/NKBsia-o9N4
    Spider Crawls: http://youtu.be/IeKQCX-qvp8

    Thanks I will give that a try, I do something similar to the top one except Dr told me to keep my elbows locked to my side and pull the band out not moving elbows. Spider crawl looks good I will add to my routine today and see how it feels.
    Any idea how often I should be doing these type of strengthening exercises for shoulder? Is it something I can do every other day otherwise I would only do it on my shoulder days twice a week

    The pull-aparts you can do something everyday. The Spider Crawls... start with training days and maybe add a day and see how you feel. If you want to add, then add slowly because it's easier to take it back away then if it's too much. :)

    These are very good exercises and I believe in them as a means to help maintain rotator cuff health along with good mobility exercises. I believe that these almost literally saved me from shoulder surgery a few years ago.

    Thanks again for the input
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    extremelygrumpycat wrote: »
    I am a medical secretary who works for an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in shoulder surgery. Without really SEEING your tests results to see how big the tear is, etc... hard to really give advice. I'd hate to be held accountable.

    I would say though, consult an ortho surgeon, even if not looking for surgery. GOOD orthos do NOT just immediately see surgery as the only option. Cortisone injections are fine. There are people who get them every 6 or so months. Some less. Some more.

    I'd also recommend seeing a licensed physiotherapist. Get proper exercises, learn them, tell them you want pain free mobility. Stick with it and have them follow you. Go to follow ups.

    Best I can tell you. Good luck.

    my tear was small only 7x9mm and no sign of it on ultrasound any more but lingering pain. I am probably due for a second shot.

    Tried physio but the guy treated the wrong area for 3 months...lol...not kidding, then saw sports medicine Dr when it wasnt getting better
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    jpaulie wrote: »
    my tear was small only 7x9mm and no sign of it on ultrasound any more but lingering pain. I am probably due for a second shot.

    Tried physio but the guy treated the wrong area for 3 months...lol...not kidding, then saw sports medicine Dr when it wasnt getting better

    Ugh, I hate when physios do that. Honestly, they give themselves such a bad rep. There are AMAZING ones out there that know exactly what to do and how. I realize it'd be so hard but if you can find a good one, it'd do such wonders.

    No harm in trying the cortisone shot again. To be honest, we have many patients that just go that route. It usually gets longer in between needing them.
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