Rotator Cuff Tear

[endover]

I need some input here... I had a road bike wreck about 2 years ago. Standard MRI showed possible torn Labrum. Surgeon went in...not torn but "frayed" which was great. Recovery was fast and easy. Flash forward 2 years to this summer. I started swimming at the beginning of the summer and had significant shoulder pain. Doc put me in for "detailed" injection MRI. Turns out I had a torn Rotator Cuff but it was never seen by the surgeon (or the basic MRI).

Long story short is that it's a small tear but needs repairing. I'm a young 40 years old and very active and in great health. I know the docs are gonig to tell me 6 weeks immobilized, 6 weeks motion and then 3 to 6 months before I'm even close to normal fitness. Can someone who's had this done give me a realistic recovery plan for my condition? What's the earliest I can get back on a road bike and then ultimately my mountain bike. I won't start swimming/surfing again until next Summer so I assume those things will be fine in 8 to 10 months. I have an off-road endurance bike race in late January that I would love to do but don't know what to expect. I can chose to hold surgery off 'till next summer but can't see where that really buy's me anything. I'm in Florida so there is no "down" season for sports.

[Daddy Dee]

endover, I haven't had this injury or repair personally. However have had a couple of good friends who have had the surgery. What your doctor is telling you sounds about right for what I remember about their recovery period. It's not fun, but the level of personal fitness you bring, your motivation for full rehab and return to activity, and that the tear is "small" by your doctor's description are all things in your favor. Also think you are right in thinking there is no upside to delaying the surgery. LIS, nothing fun about it, but you've got more going for your recovery than lots of folks. Hope it all goes well for you.

[jhoak]

I know 3 people who have had rotator cuff repairs done.

#1) Young (40-ish) woman who is in excellent physical condition. Runs, swims, bikes, competes in triathlons (smoking hot by the way, too bad she's married), and generally works very hard at her conditioning. Her's was a total success. She followed her post-op physical therapy instructions to the letter. She was actually back to "normal" months before she was told she would be.

#2) A man about the same age, a year or two older. Overweight and out of shape. He did NOT do the follow-up physical therapy as instructed. Said he didn't have the time. His work was a disaster. To this day he has very limited motion in his left arm. He blames the doctors. I've told him that it wasn't the doctor's fault. Not well received.

#3) MUCH older woman. Early 70s. Her's did not turn out well at all. Mostly because of some other issues. Ultimately they had to go back in and do a shoulder replacement. She did do the follow-up physical therapy but struggled with every minute of it. I'm not an orthopedist but my opinion is that they should have done the replacement first rather than subjecting her to two surgeries. Today her range of motion in that arm isn't what with once was or should be but she feels a LOT better after the replacement surgery than she did after the RC repair.

From my perspective the odds are heavily in favor of you having a faster normal recovery. Two pieces of advice. (1) DO NOT under any circumstances blow off the post-op physical therapy. It's absolutely critical for your recovery. (2) Try to get an orthopedist who specializes in "sports medicine". They seem to be the most effective. That's not to say that an orthopedist who doesn't do sports injuries are bad because they're not. It's just that the sports medicine guys have probably seen more of type of injury that you described.

Good luck!

[LarryC]

Dunno if this will help, but I had considerable R shoulder pain, and an MRI showed a RC tear which looked like a detachment of a tendon from the humeral head. I'd scheduled surgery, but then began hearing about the prolonged recovery & rehab period for the first time (why didn't the doc tell me about that??) just about the time it began to feel better. That was about a year ago. So, I deferred surgery, and lo it's slowly felt better and better. I'm not planning surgery at present.

I don't think I'll be stressing my shoulder a whole lot, though, especially after watching weight-lifting Olympics.

[ssh]

I've had two rotator cuff surgeries on my right shoulder. The first one required being cut open; the second was scoped on top of the first scar. I will have a third done this fall. I'd already have done it, but I lost my "significant other" July first, and school starts for teachers August sixth. (No way can I write on a white board- I have to pick up my right arm just to type.) Don't be in a hard-headed hurry to recover, just work hard in rehab, take your doctor's advice, and you'll be back competing in a few months.

SSH

[djk]

http://www.egoscue.com/palmbeachgardens.php

[endover]

Typing with left hand for now. Surgery was yesterday so here we go with recovery! Right side is still totally numb from nerve blocker which is good. I wouldn't mind it if the nerve blocker held on for a few days 'till i get past the pain part....which there is currently none. Surgrery took all of 2 hours and 15 mins from the time I walked into the clinic until I was driven home. Pretty impressive... I start PT today where I'll get thefull scoop about my 3 month recovery plan.

[Coytee]

Good luck on the recovery! [Y]

As has been said, do the therepy. My mom is a nurse and has beaten into my head over the years to follow the Dr's orders to the letter.

[CIGARBUM]

I feel for you, I had this done 2 years age, full replacement, ball and socket, 12 weeks of therapy and it still hurts.