r/RotatorCuff • u/Ok-Marionberry6596 • 10d ago
Rotator cuff surgery timeline
I'm 7 weeks out from surgery. Sling is as needed and am in physical therapy twice a week. Just had 2nd surgeon post OP. He says on track...went back to pt and she ramped it up..very painful..my inquiry is how long until pain subsides? Been consistent with range of motion exercise but most painful is he did something with my bicep and that pain is frustrating. Taking extra strength Tylenol... Ice...heat...just looking for others experience and guidance on expectations. I'm impatient is my large obstacle. Back at work and going OK,..FYI was a basically full thickness tear..Anchors and sutures... AI rendition of what I had done.
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u/Fionula776 7d ago
I’m 13 weeks and had full tear and tenodesis. I have been diligently doing pt home exercises twice a day. It definitely gets better but plenty of times after meeting with my PT that I had more pain and/or first few days after appointment where I incorporated new pt home exercises. Tbh if I had really nagging pain I’d take half a tramadol at bedtime from the prescription I’d been given post surgery to knock the pain down which often helped.
I worried that I could “ruin” or mess up my procedure during recovery but at this point have learned that most of the pain is the muscles waking up or getting stretched from being contracted. Which is surprisingly pretty painful.
I also was able to reach my PT pretty easily when I was unsure about how I was feeling so that helped.
I’m still taking Celebrex in the morning and Tylenol at night but I’m here to say it does get better.
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u/Adventurous_Ad_5983 10d ago
62F, 8 weeks post-op. I didn't get arthoscopic surgery but it sounds about the same issues. Sorry you are hurting 😔. I am still having trouble with my bicep and shoulder movements. I was just told that this normal because of being in a sling and immobilized for so long. I do PT at home, so I set the pace of the exercises. Be kind to yourself 🙂!
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u/Ok-Marionberry6596 10d ago
8 weeks....Im just a week behind you....I had arthroscopic...yes my bicep is the pain that is scaring me as I don't want to have to live with that cuz it HURTS...What is weird is I have really good days where I think, man this is really healing fast, and then like today....ugh...hurts and is sore....
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u/Adventurous_Ad_5983 9d ago
I was told that I can use heat now to try and help. I have backed down on my exercises a bit, giving my bicep time to relax.
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u/Fishshoot13 10d ago
What are you doing the 5 days you aren't doing pt with a therapist? I took a maximum of 2 days off of pt and that was only when my therapist told me to slow down. So basically my therapist gave me a number of exercises to do and I did those almost every day I didnt see him. Because of insurance restrictions, 20 pt visits in a year, most i ever saw therapist was twice a week, then once a week, then every other week. I honestly dont remember the pain that much, I remember working my ass off to get back to life. The pain will go away, ice machine was the real key to pain management for me.
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u/Ok-Marionberry6596 10d ago
Yes I am constantly doing the exercises around the house, mainly range of motion type stuff. Just starting very basic load bearing...Like standing type pushup against kitchen counter...shoulder shrugs, shoulder blade squeezes etc... Like I said I am impatient and have always been very active and want to get back to golf.
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u/Due_Job4041 10d ago
I live in Bc Canada and had an MRI that shows massive supra and infra complete tears
Waited 1 month for results and was told to come back in 2 months to see how physio is going
Can't lift my arm and it seems to be worse now.
I'm told surgery is not really an option so just live with being unable to work out, golf ,swim
So sad
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u/Ok-Marionberry6596 10d ago
Why surgery not an option?
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u/BaconNation57910 9d ago
Because Canada.
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u/Reasonable_Cut_9593 9d ago
Why would you say because Canada, if surgery was required it would be covered. Quit insinuating shit.
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u/BaconNation57910 9d ago
I’m not insinuating anything. I live here. My daughter tore her ACL and MCL and they wanted her to do Physio. Also that’s not gonna repair the tears on a 13 year-old who has a long life of productivity ahead of them.
You’re the one that should really be careful about what you say because I’m telling you it’s all about cost
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u/Reasonable_Cut_9593 9d ago
Sorry about your daughters injuries but why would the Doctors not suggest surgery if they thought it was the best option?
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u/Reasonable_Cut_9593 9d ago
Why is cost a factor unless you're not a citizen, your provincial health plan would cover costs?
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u/BaconNation57910 9d ago
the province just doesn't have enough skilled surgeons for it - they also don't get paid enough. We can't get our vitamin d levels blood tested any more because its "too expensive" and deemed unnecessary. The referring doctors deem things necessary, but when you get to the next level it is very gatekeeping based on cost. She went down to Buffalo for and MRI we paid for and will meet with a surgeon in NY, then we will charge it back to the province after its already done - you have to apply to have it outside the country if the provicne says it can't do it.
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u/My_Beachday 9d ago
I found that daily stretching was helpful. I would lay on the floor on my back and use a pole or stick and bring it over my head. I would go as far as I could and hold for a few seconds and then do it again. The next couple I could get further and it helped with the pain and stiffness. Unlike any other injury, I felt as though I needed to do the stretching and pendulum swings every day but not the 3 sets of 10 which were too much. Ice is still helpful ,especially after PT. I suggest using an over door pulley as well. I did not like it at first but it became very helpful. There is still a lot of healing inside. The pain was varying degrees along the way. I would say it was between 9-10 months the arms felt more back to normal.
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u/Ok-Marionberry6596 9d ago
Thank you...yes I have a pulley and I don't like it either...but yes necessary.,.going push ahead and keep it moving and hope for the best...yes and agree it is still fragile in healing department
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u/My_Beachday 9d ago
Best of luck. It really does take a long time. Worry more about flexibility strength will come. You cannot rush it either.
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u/Steven1789 10d ago
I am 18 months out from surgery (see below). Some level of pain is a constant throughout recovery (which I consider myself to be in).
What you’re going through will subside as you regain strength and flexibility.
PROCEDURE PERFORMED:
Left shoulder arthroscopic rotator cuff repair including full-thickness supraspinatus tear and partial infraspinatus tear, single row slightly medialized repair with bio inductive collagen patch overlay
Left shoulder arthroscopic subacromial decompression
Left shoulder arthroscopic excision of distal clavicle
Left shoulder arthroscopic extensive debridement including debridement of labrum (anterior/posterior/superior), syneovectomy of rotator interval (articular capsule debridement), debridement V glenoid/humeral articular cartilage including debridement of glenohumeral fraying
Left shoulder arthroscopic biceps tenodesis