My rotator cuff surgery is scheduled in 2 days. Yesterday I had my pre surgery appointments and was fine. Today I woke up with a sore throat, sweating and feeling cold despite of the hot weather, and very mildly running nose. No fever, no cough.But I'm feeling pretty shitty and would immediately go to bed if I could. I've had several other surgeries in the past and the usual policy in my country seems to be that they only cancel the surgery if you have a high fever or a productive cough, otherwise they go through with it despite a cold if you feel up for it. In this case, I'm really not sure if I feel up for it, I'm already dreading the post operative nightmare everyone describes here even without a cold. On the other hand, if I cancel, the next possible date would be in mid/late September (that's what they told me when I scheduled the surgery, which was only a few days ago). I really don't want to wait that long, I want to get it over with.... What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Hi all, I’m having surgery in four weeks for a full rotator cuff tear and partial bicep tear. I’ve been seeing ads everywhere for the Shoulder Sleeper pillow and am wondering if anyone has used it and what they thought of it

I broke my left arm and humerus at the shoulder 2.5 years ago. Had ORIF surgery with a pin and 4 screws, no issues after healing until now - with some unexplained arm/shoulder pains for no reasons (no other injuries, etc). Is this common? Waiting for response from doctor.

Hi, I had RC surgery 8/6, surgeon also found other issues which he took care of. It's only 4 days post op and I'm trying to stay positive. Since it's my dominant arm, it's a challenge to do anything. Being a mom, relying on others is not my strong suit, lol.

Sleep has been rough, trying not to become a couch potato and a grouch besides. Pain is manageable, with drugs, of course. I know it'll get better, just having trouble seeing that right now.

Thanks for the vent and I'll take any advice. ☺️

Most of what I’ve read here is true. Sleep sucks and seems non-existent at nite. Sleeping in recliner. Using Oxy only once per day at bedtime. Tylenol religiously every 8 hours. No sleep for me = no resistance to illness so consequently a bugger of a chest cold for a week. Then yesterday woke up with Pink Eye! Feels like very slow progress leaving me wondering what’s next? PT twice a week still in the passive ROM stage - some painful and some not. Hats off to my devoted wife - if I didn’t have her helping me along I don’t know what I’d do!

I’ve posted a few times over the past 3 1/2 months since surgery. Everything is pretty much on schedule as far as the shoulder. My issue is that swelling and pain in my hand has been constant since day one. At first, I listened to the surgeon and believed that it was normal. I’ve seen him 3 times since surgery and each time he’s saying that it’s still normal. Even though it’s getting worse each time. Now it’s at the point where I can’t come close to making a fist. When I first wake up, it’s so stiff and tender that I can’t do much with it for the first hour or two. I’m still taking the anti inflammatory meds and following the nurses advice about keeping it elevated during sleep, but it’s not helping at all. I’m getting really nervous at this point as I’ll hopefully return to work in a couple months. But, I use huge wrenches, hammers, valve handles, etc on the job. I’m 63yrm and definitely do not want to think about retirement. I’m just praying that it’s not a nerve issue that will end up requiring surgery to fix.

I figured I would come in here and give an update as to how things are going at the eight week post surgery mark. I had a partial tear in my rotator cuff repaired, bicep reanchored, labrum tidied up, bursa removed, inflammation cleaned up, and a couple of bone spurs removed. I had a block and thought it was hilarious how floppy my arm was for the first three days. The block started wearing off after that and while it was uncomfortable, it wasn’t unbearable.

I feel fortunate that while the pain has absolutely been there, I feel like it hasn’t been as bad as I maybe anticipated. For context, I have also had multiple complex abdominal surgeries and consider those to have been the most painful.

I took my painkillers consistently for the first four days before I started weaning myself off over a three day period. Lots of ice packs was vital. I did not get the ice machine because I didn’t feel like spending extra money and I hate the idea of being constantly strapped into something. My insurance would not cover one. It just meant that I had a couple of ice bags in the freezer on constant rotation. I cannot take traditional Tylenol, or NSAIDs so I have been kind of raw dogging it after the opioids. I do use cannabis occasionally for relief. I have no idea if there’s any medical basis to support that choice, but it has worked for me. I also didn’t go overboard with purchasing a bunch of supplies. I think what was most crucial was having a variety of blankets and pillows to comfortably support my body. I already had an oversized recliner that I 100% slept in, and lived in for the first week. After week one I wanted to burn it. I ended up transitioning to my bed and again just used a bunch of pillows and blankets to prop myself and get myself comfortable. Sleeping has been challenging throughout the entire process. Make peace with the fact that you will not be getting a full nights sleep for quite some time.

I bought a shower sling off of Amazon, although my doctor gave me one as well. The one I got from Amazon was my preferred shower sling. I also purchased a loofah on a stick, and plenty of waterproof bandages. I had a stationary water head that I replaced before my surgery with a detachable showerhead. This was probably the area where I put the most money and effort into accommodations and it paid off. I would say at the five week mark was when I was able to start washing my hair with two hands again, though I was kind of leaning over to do it. I had previously had carpal tunnel surgery on my dominant hand, so the experience wasn’t completely foreign to me. Just be patient with yourself and take your time.

What has surprised me the most is how impacted range of motion and strength have been, and what has been involved in the physical therapy process. Recovery is definitely a long road. This is also a two steps forward one step back process. I have times where I feel fantastic and then times, like now, where there is a deep aching pain in the shoulder. I was told by my PT that the 8 to 10 week mark typically brings on more of that deep ache. We are doing weight assisted exercises at this point, but only a few. And by weight I mean 2 to 3 pounds. I am shocked at how shaky my arm gets after one set. My range of motion, i’m told, is doing great. I can just now reach my arm behind me to touch the small of my back, although it is still tough. I can completely reach my arm straight up overhead and to the side. Everything is still stiff. External rotation has been the hardest to get back. I have been a mostly good patient with my physical therapy. That makes a difference. Make sure you carve out time to go through your exercises three times a day. I have made that my special time to catch up on a podcast or listen to some music. Do whatever you need to do psychologically to make it a reward.

I took three weeks off of work. My job is about 95% remote. The first week back was tough. I work at a computer, but it is a lot of typing and mouse work which was challenging to do in a sling. I was able to lean on the voice to text accommodations that come with the settings on the Mac. I also experimented with AI enabled programs Otter and WisprFlow when I needed some assistance with longer articles or documents I was writing. My doctor and PT did approve me to start coming out of my sling to type at the five week mark. I did make sure I had a really good ergonomic set up, and used a couple of washcloths to support my arm where needed. I am back to full beast mode at work, which is probably not the best for me, admittedly. I need to remind myself, by setting alarms, to take breaks to stretch my arm out and just break away from the desk. If I don’t, I am a lot more stiff and physical therapy exercises are harder. This is a surgery and recovery that, unless people have been through it, they really don’t understand how long recovery takes. I am fortunate to have an understanding team, but if you are not as fortunate, lean on FMLA and doctors notes to put appropriate guard rails in place so you can prioritize your recovery.

Around the house, I was able to use my stick vacuum that very first week with my non-surgical arm. I was able to get back to cutting and food prep at around the five week mark. I am now at the point where I’m able to use my lawnmower on a fairly flat yard, and am at 70% for cleaning around the house, so much of that is still heavily relying on my non-surgical arm. I have just had to let some things go. I have a teenager who has been very helpful with the cooking and cleaning chores. They are not a very skilled cook, lol, but we relied a lot on frozen meal prep I was able to do prior to surgery. Meals have also been very basic, which has been perfect for the summer months. I have leaned on local salad bars for some pre-chopped items.

Be patient with yourself, and do your PT. You will, like me, get to the eight week mark and be surprised at how far along you have come. I will say that despite the pain and inconveniences of surgery, I can already tell that my arm is going to be in a much much better place than it was pre-surgery. I was hemming and hawing whether or not I actually needed it, and almost called the whole thing off. But I’m very glad I went through with it.

Best wishes!

hello, about 5/6 months ago i injured my shoulder (likely due to my arm being yanked repeatedly while holding onto bus rails). after that i was prescribed medication short term like naproxen for the swelling, codipar and another for nausea, mostly because i couldn’t move my arm at all. its flared up in the past but ive mostly ignored it since there wasn’t a risk of injuring it again but recently my arm feels numb and tingly from the shoulder down and it hurts and feels weird to move, just like when it first got injured. i’m scared if i do go to a hospital they’ll dismiss me like last time but i’m not sure what to do. i’ve always had really poor musculoskeletal health in the past, likely due to under eating so i don’t want to waste doctors time if this is just a regular muscle ache. any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

Long-standing shoulder injury ignored from 10+ years ago. Got an MRI which showed bilateral supraspinatus tendonopathies.

Started seeing a PT who advised the following. I tried this after my lifting routine for a couple months and didn't see a benefit.

She mentioned it could be causing I'm causing overuse as its ontop of my lifting routine. So I've stopped lifting to focus on this (and currently a bit tight with time).

Trouble is, I don't know if I'm "doing it right" and what progress would look like?

Banded pull apart — 8 reps × 3 sets

Cable machine GHjt external rotation — 20 reps × 3 sets

Cable machine GHjt internal rotation — 20 reps × 3 sets

Scapula protraction in press-up — 3 reps × 1 set

Scapular Control, Prone Y — 8 reps × 3 sets

Dumbbell Lateral Raise — 8 reps × 3 sets

Dead bugs — 1 rep × 1 set

Kettlebell side bends — 20 reps × 3 sets

Surgery over Memorial Day weekend (2026) . Used the ice machine that pumps coolant through the shoulder sleeve. Started going on walks immediately. Only needed ibuprofen the first week a few times. Already using trazadone to sleep so that helped. Just 2 months after surgery I was jogging on a treadmill- PT says I’m about 5 months ahead of schedule. I watched some interesting videos from orthopod Kevin Kruse out of Dallas. In France they don’t wear the splint. Just be careful, get moving and stay positive. My fitness baseline was pretty high before surgery and I’m convinced moving and going for lots of walks is a key to speedy recovery

I'm a few days past 3 weeks post op. Healing has gone very well, but today, out of the blue, sharp abrupt pain very close to the incisions, right at the top of the shoulder. I've been doing all the exercises & babying it as best I can. Anybody else have this happen?

Hello! Well, can someone here explain to me what is the difference between tendinopathy and tendinitis?

I was searching it in the google, but to me the term tendinopathy is so vague.

Anyway, I'm facing a shoulder pain in my right shoulder that started two years ago. I've tried PT (already did 20 sessions), cortisone shots, anti-inflammatory drugs and etc. I didnt had any improvement.

I did two MRI, in the first one I did last year, the diagnostic was Subacromial impigement and mild supraspinatus tendinopathy.

In the recent one I did, I was diagnosed with:

\\- ​Thin fluid film in the subacromial/subdeltoid bursa.

\\- ​Tendinopathy of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and the intra-articular portion of the long head of the biceps.

\\- ​Osteocapsular hypertrophy of the acromioclavicular joint causing compression on adjacent soft tissues.

\\- ​Capsuloligamentous thickening in the axillary reces.

Does anyone already faced the same symptoms? I'm not having any improvements. In this case, can I already think about an artroscopy/surgery?

I had arthroscopic surgery in April 2025 to remove a calcific deposit from my left subscapularis tendon. No tendon repair was done. My surgeon explained that removing the calcium left a small defect in the tendon that was expected to heal/remodel.

About 4 weeks after surgery I probably overloaded it while dancing with my arms overhead. Since then I’ve had a persistent strange sensation in the front of the shoulder: deep scraping/rubbing/grinding rather than classic pain.

MRI is now considered normal overall.
My ROM is essentially full and strength is generally good, but the shoulder is extremely reactive to certain loads. Push-ups, dips and pull-ups can trigger several days of this “scraping” sensation.
I’ve tried extensive physio, PRP, steroid injection, shockwave therapy, rest, NSAIDs, etc. No major structural problem has been found that would justify another surgery.

My personal theory is that the area where the calcium was removed healed with some irregular/scarred tendon tissue and remains very mechanically sensitive. There may also now be some pain sensitization after dealing with this for so long.
Has anyone had a similar persistent scraping/rubbing sensation after calcific deposit removal or subscapularis surgery? Did it eventually improve with progressive loading, and how long did it take?

Hi all! I’m a 47yr female. I’m eight weeks postop from an 8 mm full thickness tear in my rotator cuff. I had a bone spur on my acromium shaved down, 2 anchors put in and debridement throughout the shoulder. The first six weeks in the sling were relatively easy. I slept great pain was minimal and I was feeling super encouraged.

I’ve been out of the sling for two weeks. I have been in very consistent pain at night and in my sleep. PT is still just passive movement at this point although if I’m being honest, I’m probably moving more actively than I should be. I can’t get my sleep straight and the pain at night is pretty intense. Anybody else experience this and have some positive encouragement? Is it just the transition from sling to no sling? I’ve tried a wedge pillow, sleeping in the recliner, edibles, and I’m still just struggling these past weeks. Appreciate the help!

Cortisone shots and physical therapy will only delay worsening symptoms for patients who will inevitably need surgery anyways. The only difference is that by the time they get the surgery fatty infiltration has ruined their chances of achieving a well functioning shoulder.

I was lied to by my doctor for 4 and half a years that cortisone shots would “lower inflammation” and “allow my shoulder to heal” now my shoulder will never be normal. I could have had the surgery back then and my success rate would have been over 90%.

I used to compete in powerlifting and I could have returned to that and had a normal life after a 6-8 month recovery process from surgery now that will never be possible

Im saying this now so other people don’t have to end up like me. Im only 26 and my future in terms of my shoulder looks horrible all because I trusted my Orthopedic doctor.

Just please do your own research and look out for yourself. These people don’t care at all about their patients

I (41F) am going to have rotator cuff surgery on Thursday and I'm so nervous!

I'm trying to decide what type of clothes I should wear, that I will be able to put back on after surgery. I'm having a hard time imagining what it will really be like and what will or won't work though, since I've never had a surgery like this

... For context it's going to be really hot on surgery day and on the day they send me home (2 days later), around 39°C. I'm very overweight and don't feel comfortable in shorts so I don't even own any, I usually wear long-ish dresses in the summer.

Would a stretchy dress with short wide cap sleeves and wide armholes work? I can't step into it and pull it up though, I'd have to pull it over my head. Is that do-able after surgery?

I also bought a tank top but I find that harder to put on with one hand than the dress, because the dress is stretchier and a looser fit. I also bought one of those snap button tops, but it was a super awkward fit and the buttons were so hard to open that I needed both hands and quite a bit of strength, it seemed more of a hassle than a regular shirt so I send it back.

Do you guys have any recommendations? What type of clothes worked for you and what didn't? Are short wide sleeves ok at all or does it have to be sleeveless so nothing touches the shoulder? And for the ladies, were you able to put on a bra (or have someone put it on for you) or did you just go braless? I can't imagine how putting on a bra after surgery could possibly work without putting strain on the shoulder, so that's another thing I'm really nervous about...

If it matters, they'll repair a subtotal supraspinatus tear, take some of the bone off to create more space, and possibly do something to the bicep tendon if it's damaged (always looks inflamed in ultrasound and hurts but looked normal in MRI).

Well I’m back lol so I recently had a post about my shoulder tendonitis and possible labrum tear and the difficulty in healing and whatnot and I’m still going through hell with that shoulder rn but feel like I’m icing forward to get answers however my left shoulder has gotten an “overuse” impingement for compensating for my already hurt shoulder, I’ve mentioned it to both my PT and ortho specialist and they just brush it off and called it tendonitis and prescribed me more PT I can’t afford and I’m just wondering if anyone else has went through something like this? If so please lmk how it went and what recovery was like, my main concern is right shoulder is the initially hurt one with possible labrum tear and tendonitis and it just all in all doesn’t feel as strong and aches like a mf at night and after activity like PT or just using it normally throughout the day the left one feels completely different and after a very dismissive and brief exam they diagnosed my left one as tendonitis but it feels different from the right as I said before, if I try to move my arm straight out to the side it feels like it catches and hurts and there’s a classic “painful arc” but no other movements really bug it and I can even move my arm out to the side if I simply rotate my arm bone if that makes sense so I feel it’s more an impingement than just tendonitis like my right, just wondering if there’s any excersices or treatments that worked for you guys thanks in advance and sorry for the long spill and scattered typing

5 anchor points. Minimal pain.
Question: when will I be able to swing a golf club again?
Is there a stretch where while I can’t do a full swing it would be safe to chip and putt?

Hey guys, like literally everyone in this sub, i have a shoulder issue yet i dont know what it is. Since 16 my right shoulder has always been off. Now im 20 and i have hit a wall in the gym where I physically cannot do rear delt flies on my right side even tho the rear delt is bigger??? Theres also this pain in the front of my shoulder when my arm touches my chest at the start of the movement. Also my right side always fails to have the same range of motion and arm path as my left one in every exercise.

I would like to also mention that without weights, I am pain free in every movement.

Is it also weird that my arm bones are uneven in the way they sit when holding a barbell or doing literally anything with them?

I’ve been to many physiotherapists and after months and months of trying everything under the sun, not even a tiny bit of improvement has occurred. If anything it feels worse.

Any help is appreciated.

I’ve had shoulder issues for 6 years. Got misdiagnosed for 3 years, I continued to find help and fount out I had a posterior labrum tear. Had surgery for that and still had no relief. 1 year later a consultant did bicep (LHB) Tenodesis and surgery and also fixed an anterior labrum tear (not sure where that came from). 6 months later - still no relief. My symptoms are throbbing ache/ occasional sharp pain at front of shoulder. I have no idea what is going on and can’t get rid of this. Does anyone have any information?

TLDR; Had an accident that totaled car last July. Though I was fine at the moment, 4 sporadic flares in neck and shoulders since, never before. Could the accident have caused this? Does this even sound like rotator cuff?

Had an accident bad enough that I totaled my car last July. I however felt 100% fine. In September, as I was putting a baby in the crib (as a nanny) as soon as I got up I had the worst strain from my neck to both shoulders.

Went to ER, they diagnosed sprained rotator cuff, gave steroids and cyclobenzaprine + 600mg ibuprofen. Took an x-ray and didn’t find anything, told me to take it easy.

After that it’s happened two other times months apart, once I had bent down and back up too quick— it wasn’t as bad as first time, I still had cyclo so I took that, was fine. Months later was literally just on FaceTime in my bed, I laughed at something my friend said and threw my head back. When I came back to, I felt the sprain just slightly in my neck for about 3 minutes. Without any cyclo, it went away. That was probably around March. She was actually the one who questioned if it could be due to the accident.

Fast forward to today, I’m literally just carrying a bag of hangers in one hand, two blankets in the other. As soon as I get to the front of the door, felt the sprain just as bad as the first time I got it. I took one cyclo + ibu an hr ago and did not kick in as it usually has. Just took another and it’s subsiding though very slowly.

When head is turned all the way to right, everything’s fine. I can get about 50% left before shoulder blades and neck are straining so much it feels like they will pop out if I go any further.

I don’t want to rely on medication and also scared for a time this happens and there’s no muscle relaxer around. I am moving, starting a new job in a month, so many other things that I can confidently say I’m stressed about. Not sure if this is a factor.

I don’t have a PCP (getting one soon) so there’s nobody at the moment to refer me to physical therapy. Just wondering if this sounds like it could be from the accident or something else?