Anyone have rotator cuff surgery?

[Coytee]

Seems mine is torn about 50%

 

I'm wondering how your rehab went?

 

How soon before going to work?  (desk job)

How soon before using it (lightly)

 

Doc said he typically waits about four weeks before rehab however, since I have "frozen shoulder", he will likely give my shoulder a good stretching while I'm knocked out and then start my rehab about 7-10 days later.

 

Pain levels??

 

He said I'd have some pain meds....  I tend to avoid those type things.  (not being a hero, I just dont' like them and have a decent tolerance for pain as long as it's not acute)

 

The way he described it to me, he's going to fix/reattach (??) the tendon that goes over the shoulder.  There is another one (two?) that strap around the sides and he might bolster those by moving them a bit which would give me about 10% loss of strength.

 

I'm sure I"m butchering the description but that's the gist of what I understand he's going to do.

 

Having it done on a Friday and plan to go to work on Monday.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[CECAA850]

No more curve balls for you.

 

 

Hope all goes text book for you Richard.

[Travis In Austin]

My brother and about 4 friends down at the courthouse.

It seems like it was a couple of weeks before they could go back to work at desk jobs. Then they were in sling for quite awhile.

[Coytee]

Yeah, I get the sling.  In the beginning it will be one to keep things from moving.  Strapped to my chest kinda thing.

 

My thinking is (again, not trying to be a hero, just trying to think it through)

 

Anyways, my thinking is I don't need my shoulder to walk.....so I can walk to work.  Don't need it to write (it's my left shoulder and I'm right handed) so I can write.  I can tap on a keyboard.

 

If I'm in pain & misery, well....  I could easily be in pain & misery at home so there is little difference if I'm suffering at home verses at work. 

 

It's out patient so it's not like I'm having my lungs replaced.  (though my wife says I'm full of hot air )

 

Just wish I could get it done "today" to get on the rehab side of the equation.

 

Darn thing keeps me awake every night with throbbing pain.

[Coytee]

Clarification:  I don't mean walk "to" work but I can walk to car, then walk to work... 

[wvu80]

I am a racquetball player and have had some rotator cuff problems. 

 

As you already know it does not self-heal, surgery is how it get fixed, and that "stretch" method you mentioned.  The doc waits until you are asleep and then basically stretches your arm like crazy literally tearing the muscles apart but loosening them in the process.

 

I fixed mine by putting my arm behind my back with the forearm along the belt area.  Then I put the arm on a solid bench and forced the arm UP using my body weight to force the issue and force the muscles to "tear" somewhat.  I did this 3x a week for a month.  This actually worked and gave me a lot more of my old flexibility back.

 

So what did you do to deserve a torn rotator cuff injury?

Edited July 20, 2016 by wvu80

[Matthews]

I had complete ball and cuff replacement.  Still recovering, 8 years later 

It basically sucks.  However, I remain Grateful...

 

Matt ♪ ♫ ♪

[Coytee]

So what did you do to deserve a torn rotator cuff injury?

 

Honestly, I don't know.  The Ortho (not the surgeon) essentially said "once we get to our 50's things like this start to happen to some people"  (or a paraphrase of that)

 

I do not recall doing any specific lifting or other where I felt I injured it.  It just seemed to come on slowly but surely, most noticable when I was dressing, trying to extend my arm through a sweater sleeve or a shirt sleeve.

 

During the day, the pain is 1-2.  Not terrible and I can deal with it (don't like it but can deal with it)  At night however, it seems to flair and I can't find that good position to keep it comfortable.  Doc said many end up sleeping in a recliner to find that angle.  I agree.  When I sit up and lay back, it becomes much more bearable.

 

Been doing therapy and that doesn't seem to help a single bit.

 

I have not however, forced it like you and don't know that I have that internal fortitude.  It can shoot a piercing pain through the entire left side of my body when I hit it wrong.

 

Since I ain't getting any younger, I figure this is the healthiest I'll be for the rest of my life.....why put it off to a time when the surgery will take a larger toll on me.

[Jeff Matthews]

No first-hand experience, but I have known others who've had the surgery.  They say it is pretty rough-going.  All said it helped a lot.  I don't recall anyone saying they ever felt like it worked 100%.

 

As to this kind of nagging pain which seems to come about from nothing and not go away, I have had such pains from time to time.  The most recent was in my shoulder, up my neck and into my lower skull.  Don't know what caused it, but it hung around for a couple of months.  A good handful of months before that, it was pain through my groin, waist and lower back.  It seemed like it lasted forever (about a year or more), and whenever it would flair, I would start trying to stretch and deep-massage, etc., only seeming to make it worse while the massage and stretching felt good as I was doing it.  Then, after leaving it alone for a good while, it almost all goes away.  Why?  No telling.

 

I am beginning to think that there might be a psychological component to some of these chronic pain conditions.  The more you think about it and react to it, the more it is evident.

 

Of course, this may not describe your situation at all; I am just kind of adding to the conversation.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Jeff Matthews

[dirtmudd]

If only as the surgery does not end like this. You will be OK!

[JJkizak]

My buddy had shoulder problems and they replaced his shoulders with new metal ones and that went very well and he loves the new metal stuff. He didn't say if the rotator stuff was involved though. I though I busted my rotators when I held my HI-Def movie camera (about 7 pounds Sony ZL-1) shoulder high catching the fireworks constantly for over 20 minutes  without a break. After I brought my hands back down I fell to the ground in severe pain and mental shock and WTF?. It took about 3 months to regain all shoulder movement. I didn't drop the camera though and there was no concussion but I did go through a very long anti-retardation mental protocol.  

JJK

[muel]

Surgery on friday and work on monday?  AHHH hahahahahaha!

Didn't work that way for me.  Took about a week at home.   Moving around much at all hurt but I did start physical therapy just a few days later. Got to 98% motion within about 6 weeks.  Good pain killers were a necessity.  I had a lot of impingement...my AC joint had to be cut out so that was where the bulk of the pain was from.  Some spurs and shredded bicep got cleaned up.   Took about 2 months before it stopped keeping me awake.  

Follow the doctors instructions and DO YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY!  Don't over do it but if they say 3-5 times a day then do it.

You have to do your part for the surgery to work.

 

Be careful when you go to work!  It is amazing how many people slap you on the back when they see you after being gone for a few days.  No sling means you're all better right?!   Uhhh no!

[Mighty Favog]

My left shoulder is in a stage before frozen shoulder, called Adhesive Capsulitus. I waited too long for any therapy but did go to my Chriropractor who specializes in sports medicine. It got getter but not 100%. And health insurance covered none of it.

Before therapy a simple light bumping of shoulders with someone walking by would send me to the ground in pain. To this day I can't tuck in my shirt in the back on the left side.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Mighty Favog

[LarryC]

I think I was lucky.  I had a lot of pain in my left shoulder, got an MRI and was shown the "tear".  Recovery was portrayed by the surgeon as straightforward.  But then, his assistant said recovery and rehab would be long and difficult.  At that point, it began to feel better each day.  So, I let it continue to heal itself.

 

It sometimes still hurts moderately, but not as much as what I am reading here.  I'm really glad I let it alone.

 

Like I said, I feel lucky with that outcome, by comparison.

Edited July 21, 2016 by LarryC

[ssh]

Three on my right shoulder. First one, he opened me from the neck to the end of my shoulder, second done with a 3" scar, third with about a 3/4" one, right on top of the other two. Forget about going to work three days afterwards. The therapy sucks, but do it vigoursly, or you will regret it.

SSH

[ZEUS121996]

IDK

I had my left shoulder pinned in 2 places about 14 years ago. Fell in 2008 on black ice, took 5 pins to the right shoulder. Had that one cleaned out in 2013 and had full range of motion in a week, it surprised the Dr. a little bit. but he replaced my knee 3 months earlier and I was walking on my own in 2 days.

I tore my right shoulder up again in Feb. 2015

Depending on the Dr. i need shoulder replacement or they can't help me. 2 of the muscles are gone, the other 2 are triple the normal size. Matt, I'm suppose to have reverse replacement, I think you had the older version.

Richard, I started rehab the next day, small circles tilted over with your arm hanging straight down, like I said 1 week and full range of motion, strength never came fully back, maybe 90%

Go get it cut, it's not a big deal, the longer you wait the worse it gets.

PM me if you have any questions, I really don't want to talk about it publicly, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night :rolleyes:

 

Mark

[ZEUS121996]

Three on my right shoulder. First one, he opened me from the neck to the end of my shoulder, second done with a 3" scar, third with about a 3/4" one, right on top of the other two. Forget about going to work three days afterwards. The therapy sucks, but do it vigoursly, or you will regret it.

SSH

Sounds like you had it done a few years ago. Or it was really f*cked up

 

Mark

[BusaDude]

Seems mine is torn about 50%

 

I'm wondering how your rehab went?

 

How soon before going to work?  (desk job)

How soon before using it (lightly)

 

Doc said he typically waits about four weeks before rehab however, since I have "frozen shoulder", he will likely give my shoulder a good stretching while I'm knocked out and then start my rehab about 7-10 days later.

 

Pain levels??

 

He said I'd have some pain meds....  I tend to avoid those type things.  (not being a hero, I just dont' like them and have a decent tolerance for pain as long as it's not acute)

 

The way he described it to me, he's going to fix/reattach (??) the tendon that goes over the shoulder.  There is another one (two?) that strap around the sides and he might bolster those by moving them a bit which would give me about 10% loss of strength.

 

I'm sure I"m butchering the description but that's the gist of what I understand he's going to do.

 

Having it done on a Friday and plan to go to work on Monday.

 

Thoughts?

I had mine done in 2009... It was a full thickness tear of the rotator cuff. My surgeon was Keith Meister (Texas Rangers team physician) and he videos the procedure and takes pictures (see attached).

Unless it's a very minor tear, you can give up on going to work 3 days later...

I was not allowed to drive for a week, but driving with the sling was no fun. I had to wear the sling/strap for 6 weeks. Rehab started about 10 days or so after surgery, and lasted for 8 weeks. Be prepared to pedal a seated bicycle type machine with your arms and do a lot of exercises/movements with rubber tubing. I didn't really feel back to "normal" until 3 months or so after surgery.

I had to sleep in a recliner, with my arm strapped down, as they didn't want me to roll over in bed. YMMV, but I had to do this for the full 6 weeks that my arm was in the sling. You probably won't be able to use your arm "lightly" or at all (other than rehab) until you're out of the sling.

Pain level... The first 2 weeks sucked (Vicodin was my friend). But after that it dropped off pretty rapidly once the rehab started to make a difference. Though it won't feel good for quite a while after that, particularly when your brain tries to move your arm while it's strapped down. Or you attempt to do something new during rehab that extends your range of motion.

[ZEUS121996]

 

Seems mine is torn about 50%

 

I'm wondering how your rehab went?

 

How soon before going to work?  (desk job)

How soon before using it (lightly)

 

Doc said he typically waits about four weeks before rehab however, since I have "frozen shoulder", he will likely give my shoulder a good stretching while I'm knocked out and then start my rehab about 7-10 days later.

 

Pain levels??

 

He said I'd have some pain meds....  I tend to avoid those type things.  (not being a hero, I just dont' like them and have a decent tolerance for pain as long as it's not acute)

 

The way he described it to me, he's going to fix/reattach (??) the tendon that goes over the shoulder.  There is another one (two?) that strap around the sides and he might bolster those by moving them a bit which would give me about 10% loss of strength.

 

I'm sure I"m butchering the description but that's the gist of what I understand he's going to do.

 

Having it done on a Friday and plan to go to work on Monday.

 

Thoughts?

I had mine done in 2009... It was a full thickness tear of the rotator cuff. My surgeon was Keith Meister (Texas Rangers team physician) and he videos the procedure and takes pictures (see attached).

Unless it's a very minor tear, you can give up on going to work 3 days later...

I was not allowed to drive for a week, but driving with the sling was no fun. I had to wear the sling/strap for 6 weeks. Rehab started about 10 days or so after surgery, and lasted for 8 weeks. Be prepared to pedal a seated bicycle type machine with your arms and do a lot of exercises/movements with rubber tubing. I didn't really feel back to "normal" until 3 months or so after surgery.

I had to sleep in a recliner, with my arm strapped down, as they didn't want me to roll over in bed. YMMV, but I had to do this for the full 6 weeks that my arm was in the sling. You probably won't be able to use your arm "lightly" or at all (other than rehab) until you're out of the sling.

Pain level... The first 2 weeks sucked (Vicodin was my friend). But after that it dropped off pretty rapidly once the rehab started to make a difference. Though it won't feel good for quite a while after that, particularly when your brain tries to move your arm while it's strapped down. Or you attempt to do something new during rehab that extends your range of motion.

 

I've seen this before, the pics make me gag. I don't wish this on anyone. It doesn't sound like yours is this bad Richard

 

Mark

[BusaDude]

I've seen this before, the pics make me gag. I don't wish this on anyone. It doesn't sound like yours is this bad Richard

Mark

I didn't mean to cause anyone pain/issues by posting those pics. Dr Meister has worked on my shoulder and knee, and I found the photos from each procedure really interesting.

But if anyone thinks they're too graphic or not appropriate, let me know and I'll try and remove them... Can you delete/edit photos out of a post? Or does a moderator have to do that?