Rotator Cuff revisited

Yes, I had to have a full tear repair. I have a very high tolerance for pain as well, but that doesn't mean much in the face of the problems trying to live with a torn RC can cause long term.

I was given a nerve block, the repair was done (all arthroscopic) and the cause of the impingement (bone growth) removed.

If I can stress two things heavily - take your pain meds before the nerve block wears off. The second is to do everything you can to minimize movement of that arm until your follow up with the doc and he/she gives you clearance to start PT.

My recovery went textbook, but I have to tell ya, it hurt like hell. have someone there to help you out and swallow your pride, let them.

I was back at work 3 months to the day, but my doc wanted me out at least another month. I couldn't as the insurance company screwed my disability payments up badly and we needed that paycheck to avoid missing mortgage payments.

I wish you well...

Not me personally, but a co-worker of mine had similar...she tried to heal with time and PT, but ultimately things got worse and yes, she ended up requiring surgery.

AliNouveau wrote: »

Thanks. I'm still hoping I don't need surgery. It's not quite a full tear although it feels weaker every day.

My impingement comes from a downsloping acromion which I suspect is what has cause the tears.

I've been doing physio to treat it and it's been working with my strength. I will keep that up so in case I need the surgery I'm in good shape.

Mine started with the impingement and was injured again between the MRI and the scheduled surgery - My best half tripped while we were walking and she grabbed my hand on that side on the way down Just a reaction ya know? Even so, the doc said I was much better off having it repaired...but if your Doc clears you with the PT, take it. I'm trying to keep from sounding overly dramatic, so lets just say I never, ever want to go through that again, ever lol.

I had a +60% rotator cuff tear, a torn labrum, a torn biceps tendon. I had a full reconstruction in 2010 and they repaired everything and also shaved bone. The first week after surgery was by far the hardest. The nausea, the pain, no sleeping unless you're knocked out on pain meds - its not fun. I started PT very quick, about a week after my surgery, and was back to work in about a month.

If you have to have surgery, block out time for it and 100% as stated above have someone there to help you. I cut my hair even because I couldn't wash it. You can't take showers until your staples come out. I was living with my dad so it was a challenge for a lot of stuff I needed help with. Luckily some days my mom could come over, but things like putting on a bra and bathing were nearly impossible for a little while.

I felt my labrum tear, and it hurt but not horribly. When I felt my rotator cuff tear (it was already torn @ 40%, and then i felt it tear to +60%) I won't lie it was pretty painful. I didn't black out, but I cried for sure.

If you are in constant pain, surgery is probably the only option. Because I was a collegiate athlete and I needed to finish my senior season, I used prednisone and cortisone shots for about 9 months to get me through, but that was just a band aid. Good luck!

I had two RC tears; one in each shoulder and they both needed full open surgery. They were not fun, specially the rehabilitation, but they were needed.

No PT will repair tears in so many tendons, so admit that you will need surgery eventually, if you want to retain full mobility in your shoulder. Pain will not go away, just because you wish it. It’s the harsh true.

My husband had problems in both shoulders as well; he had “some” PT and didn't want to f/up with surgeries; he never regained full range of motion in either of them. One day doing something stupid and not waiting for my help, he torn the short biceps’ tendon in his right arm. Instant pain, and black and blue all over his arm. Rushed to the ER and put on morphine to help him with the pain. Very little could be done after that because according to the doctor the surgery would be very involved and painful, and since he had too many tears in the other tendons the recovery would be long. Obviously, he has limitations now, cortisone shots once a year, and he had to say good-by to tennis.

Take home lesson: the longer you wait, the worse your situation will be. PT will be painful and hard to endure after the surgery, but it will be worthy at the end. I wish you good luck.

AliNouveau wrote: »

Thanks everyone
My background is doing a sport competitively which has probably contributed to the deterioration. I have hyper mobile joints so to most I'd appear to have no issues with range of motion but for me it's off I can't get into some positions.

I kinda wanted to compete at a skating competition in January so if I could get away with injections until then that would be ideal. I just always think though one fall and that could be it. And btw I'm almost 46. I'ma t the age where tears and such are common however I know this is from years of abuse and "toughing it out". I spent two years ago in constant pain and it wasn't until I couldn't do planks or push ups i went and got help I'm stubborn

I get it, seriously. It wasn't until I realized that the relatively short recovery time not doing anything far outweighed the potential time I would live with not being able to do anything.

I'm stubborn as hell..it got me nowhere Just about at 60 by the way, and within 6-8 months after I was almost back at my regular activities...pain free in that shoulder.

jyamiolk wrote: »

I am recovering from a full thickness tear of my supraspinatus and bicep tendon. I fell and hyper extended my arm backwards causing the trauma. I had to do 1 month of PT before the MRI which did not help and elected to have the surgery. It is my dominant side and can say that there were many challenges and had to become lefty for a while. I was in some considerable pain after the block wore off but stayed on pain meds for about three days and then changed over to Tylenol and advil which worked well. I had my surgery back in November and am finishing up with PT and started back to the gym (OrangeTheory) about two weeks ago. I can do most exercises like full thrusters but with light weight for now. Tried a few burpees which were challenging. I went from 3 to 4 times a week to the gym to 0 days for about four months. That was difficult. Surgeon said that I will have about 98% recovery from my injury. Some tips: Get extra large shorts and cut slits down the sides as it makes it easier to get on. Get pump bottles of shampoo and gell. I also got a brush on a stick for my back. If you don't have one i highly recommend a recliner. I spent close to two months sleeping in the recliner as I would not lay in the bed with the sling due to pressure on the shoulder and also the straps cutting into my back. The recliner was my best friend.

All excellent tips. I wouldn't have slept at all were it not for the adjustable bed we bought.

Gisel2015 wrote: »

Phirrgus wrote: »

jyamiolk wrote: »

I am recovering from a full thickness tear of my supraspinatus and bicep tendon. I fell and hyper extended my arm backwards causing the trauma. I had to do 1 month of PT before the MRI which did not help and elected to have the surgery. It is my dominant side and can say that there were many challenges and had to become lefty for a while. I was in some considerable pain after the block wore off but stayed on pain meds for about three days and then changed over to Tylenol and advil which worked well. I had my surgery back in November and am finishing up with PT and started back to the gym (OrangeTheory) about two weeks ago. I can do most exercises like full thrusters but with light weight for now. Tried a few burpees which were challenging. I went from 3 to 4 times a week to the gym to 0 days for about four months. That was difficult. Surgeon said that I will have about 98% recovery from my injury. Some tips: Get extra large shorts and cut slits down the sides as it makes it easier to get on. Get pump bottles of shampoo and gell. I also got a brush on a stick for my back. If you don't have one i highly recommend a recliner. I spent close to two months sleeping in the recliner as I would not lay in the bed with the sling due to pressure on the shoulder and also the straps cutting into my back. The recliner was my best friend.

All excellent tips. I wouldn't have slept at all were it not for the adjustable bed we bought.

Me too!! Recliners can be our best friend in situations like this. It also allowed me to take day breaks and naps without going to bed. It makes the getting up and down much easy to do.

Yep, I had no idea what kind of stress simply laying down flat would cause on the injury. It took a little to get used to because I normally fall asleep on my side, but wow, really saved me a lot of grief.

AliNouveau wrote: »

oh man you guys aren't making this sound fun.
I am used to being a very active person this is totally going to cramp my style, I've people relying on me to do some stuff in January. Darn shoulder

Hence why I elected not to do surgery on my second. I've been a athlete my whole life and didn't want the time off after the first one healed ok from what I was told.

That and all my friends that did surgery, ended up retearing them again and surgery happened again. Kinda like a hernia, isn't the best track record of healing.

At age 45-46 I stopped feeling what I perceived as the pain that could of been the tear. IDK.

You would think that surgery has improved though.

Good luck again.

lalalacroix wrote: »

I also had fully torn rc. I was on pain killers for 6 months during surgery and 3x per week physical therapy. I have a high pain threshold and was still in awful pain. The therapy was so bad that at times there would be tears running down my face.

I'm now about 9 years post surgery. So happy I've had it done. I have full range of motion and all strength back, but honestly it did take a few years.

If I had to do it again, I would still do surgery.

My PT had a patient who refused to let her manipulate his arm in any way. She, the doctor (same doc as me) both tried to explain what potential problems a lack of PT could cause - he had none of it. Yes, it was horrible, but not as horrible as a lifetime worth of problems would have been.

Torn shoulder ligaments cannot heal themselves. Once torn they will remain torn forever unless repaired surgically.

Any pain experienced as a result will not go away unless the torn ligaments are repaired. If you can tolerate the pain/discomfort w/o surgery that's your choice. My choice was to have surgery.

I had rotator cuff surgery done on both shoulders at different times and for different reasons over the past 10-20 years.

I have full strength/range of motion in both shoulders for over 5 years and they do not bother me any more. Recovery for the right shoulder was quicker than for the left. However, the road to recovery in both cases required patience and endurance.

The routine following surgery was the same for me in both cases.

Arm in sling for 3-4 months following surgery. The sling could be removed temporarily beginning the 2nd month but not fully dispensed w/until 3-4 months.

Formal outpatient PT begins in about 2 months and ends around 3-4 months BUT you still have to do PT exercises on your own for at least another 2-3 months but should not need it after 6 months.

However, while you may regain your full range of motion in 6 months, you will NOT have fully recovered your arm strength by then and should not use your arm to lift anything heavy right away but gradually rebuild the strength of the arm by gradually increasing weights used doing PT exercises.

You are not likely to regain full strength w/o any pain or discomfort for about 8-12 months.

I could to pull ups, pushups and fully weighted overhead barbell presses again by then but it was gradual process. The time varies for each person in terms of their personal recovery traits AND the nature of the injury/surgery done.

You could recover quicker but if you rush the process you would injure yourself again and prolong the process. As mentioned earlier, full recovery requires patience and endurance.

Good luck!

AliNouveau wrote: »

Well had my follow up to discuss my MRI results.

Got a cortisone shot to relieve the pain. We'll know in two weeks how much it will help. I got a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. My doctor seems to think I'd need the shoulder repaired and the bicep tear as well.

I'm excited to potentially be pain free for a bit.

Hope all goes well for you.

AliNouveau wrote: »

Well had my follow up to discuss my MRI results.

Got a cortisone shot to relieve the pain. We'll know in two weeks how much it will help. I got a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. My doctor seems to think I'd need the shoulder repaired and the bicep tear as well.

I'm excited to potentially be pain free for a bit.

Cortisone shots for shoulder pain are like you have died and gone to heaven! Enjoy your pain free time. My shoulder issue was different but I feel your pain.

My daughter had shoulder surgery for chronic impingement (also had a hooked acromion) - once you get to that point I think there is not much else to be done. She was very young when she had it (16) but a competitive swimmer whose shoulders were just not built for swimming and we tried everything, physio, cortisone, accupunture. Unfortunately after years of pain and damage she had to have the repair and give up swimming.

My last 2 clients with shoulder issues and possible diagnosed tears ended up getting surgery even though we did 6 months of PT to help alleviate issues. Pain lessened but never went away. Shoulders are tough because you use them on a daily basis for about everything and even small movements can deter the healing process which is why they immobilize your shoulders after surgery. Expect surgery and work hard on rehab.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition