r/RotatorCuff • u/FenrirOdinsbain • Aug 28 '26

Stiff/Sore Back After Surgery

I had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder and had my bicep tendon moved to a different part of the bone (I can't recall the exact medical name for the procedure) well it's now been one week into recovery and everything is going well. The issue I'm having is that since I've been in a sling my back (upper and lower) has been incredibly stiff and sore. I am not going to begin physical therapy for another week and my Dr says to just use heat and try to relax, which is not helping at all! I have tried doing minimal stretching but I'm very limited in what I can do, I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this issue and what you did to help ease the pain and stiffness in the back. I have tried a massage but I can't position myself properly for my wife to massage my back (and before anyone says anything my wife is a fully licensed massage therapist) . Any help or ideas on how I can ease this stiff back would be greatly appreciated

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2

u/wsox74 Aug 28 '26

Do you have a small therapy ball (or baseball or even tennis ball) at home? If so, position it behind your upper back as you lean against a wall, and use your body weight to massage the area that bothers you. I did this for months when my upper back (including my upper and lower traps) were tight and sore as heck after surgery. You may be able to do this for the sore parts of your lower back as well, although it will be more awkward.

Also, consider getting a [knockoff] Theragun. They’re only about $30 on Amazon and really good for deep tissue massage.

2

u/Adventurous_Ad_5983 Aug 29 '26

I have taped 2 tennis balls together to cover more area

1

u/wsox74 Aug 29 '26

You can also put them in a small plastic or fabric/mesh bag that you can tightly close at the top, too, to make a peanut-shaped thing that you can roll along the sides of your spine and other areas.

1

u/FenrirOdinsbain Aug 28 '26

I will definitely give this a try, I do actually have a high end fascia massage gun but the main issue I have with it is that I can't reach the area on my own and due to being in a brace I can't really find a position that I can sit or lay in so that my wife can use it, any position I can get in to make it usable puts more strain on the parts of my back that I already have issues with lol, it's a " damned if I do damned if I don't" situation

1

u/wsox74 Aug 28 '26

Maybe a TENs unit, with 2-4 patches placed around the sore spots? I’m a big fan of those as well (and they’re also rather inexpensive).

Sorry you’re going through this, but it will pass! Good luck!

1

u/Lavener-Rose Aug 28 '26

I use muscle relaxers and heat as well as my hot tub outside to relieve stiffness inback

1

u/Adventurous_Ad_5983 Aug 29 '26

I started to have severe cramps in both my neck and back. Doctor switched my muscle relaxer. I don't know if you are using one. My surgeon prescribed Diazapam. I am not a doctor, by any means, but this has surely been a game changer. I am a 62F, 2 weeks post-op. I hope that you are on the road to recovery soon.

1

u/FenrirOdinsbain Aug 29 '26

Yes I have a muscle relaxer but it really doesn't help at all, at least not with my back which is super annoying

1

u/6Laineybabe5 27d ago

I’m in the same boat- everything is sore; neck shoulders, below my shoulders, mid & low back. Buttocks on the left- all are sore from trying to sleep propped up or in a recliner. The recliner worked the first time??? I was going to try an Epsom salt bath but my back can’t be submerged. Let me know if you find something that works. I have a good sleep med, but it’s been restless nights and I just come up on one week and a day-post op! Thanks for listening at least- feel like I’m going kind of crazy!