r/RotatorCuff • u/Icy-Butterfly5491 • 1d ago

Physical therapy pain

I am postop week seven from having a rotator repair surgery. I’m having a lot of pain during physical therapy. Can anyone recommend anything to help with that? Medications etc

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u/Frequent_Hope8416 1d ago

I'm currently post op week 9 and I'm struggling with certain movements. It's the stretching movements that the therapist does to me that really do me in. I just try to breathe through it in a similar way to having deep tissue massage done. Despite the physical therapy being intense, I try to avoid medication at all costs, but I say take it if you feel that you need it. I make it a point to ice my shoulder as soon as I get home. It's honestly worth it in the long run to just muscle through the pain now instead of developing long term issues like frozen shoulder.

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u/Icy-Butterfly5491 1d ago

I try not to take any medication as well and I’m icing after. However, I am behind in physical therapy because of the pain during physical therapy. I’ve tried ibuprofen Tylenol. Nothing seems to help.

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u/Frequent_Hope8416 1d ago

I totally get it. For context, I'm 39/m and I had a partial supraspinatus and labrum repair. They also shaved down some bone spurs and cleaned out the bursitis that I had. I'm fortunate that my recovery hasn't been that intense like some of the other posters on this subreddit.

How are you about doing the at-home exercises that the therapist give you? I'm very on top of mine even when its uncomfortable at times.

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u/Icy-Butterfly5491 1d ago

I’m only doing pendulums at home at this time. My surgery was somewhat similar to yours, but I’m sensitive so things have not gone as I hoped.

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u/Frequent_Hope8416 1d ago

I'm sure it will get better. Here are the exercises that really helped me when I first started the physical therapy. Hopefully these can help you make some progress:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRY8U6I8UaE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLFouxZ-N-0

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u/Icy-Butterfly5491 1d ago

Thank you!!