re: Having rotator cuff surgery next week. Any tips on post op?

Yes, I started therapy the day after my first surgery to try to avoid it but after 7 weeks of painful, bruising therapy had to go back under the knife.

My first surgery was for torn rotator cuff, bursitis, decompression surgery and calcific tendenitous repair. The calcific tendinitis part is what caused the freeze up.

I was on full pain meds for 7 weeks of PT while they tried to pull through/break through the scar tissue. I was literally bruised from therapy. Eventually it became evident they'd break my arm or collar bone it the pulled/ stretched any harder. Never could raise my hand above chin high when arm was extended.

Had surgery again and I could surrender the next morning.

Thanks god they brought that chair to my house and put it in front of a tv with netflix. 8 hours a day got old fast.

To the OP, even with all that, I'm glad I had it done.

quote:

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Posted by LumbermanRon on 3/12 at 10:18 am to GonePecan Do what your doctor says, not what a buch of armchair doctors tell you.

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Wasn't asking for medical advice, already got that from my dr. Was asking for tips from people that have been through it.

Got some good tips.
Thanks all.

If it's torn it aint fixing itself.
I had it done 8 years ago in my late 40's..
The rehab/clothes/sleeping is a real pain as others have noted.
It took about 6 months recovery to get back to 80%.
Get a really good PT-those guys will save you after surgery.
I'm back to golf, weights (no free weights anymore) and any exercise I can handle.
I don't even think about my shoulder anymore.

Have had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders, getting old SUCKS.

Suggestions:

1. Learn to deal with pain. It's gonna hurt.

2. Arm sling is your friend the first few days, then it sucks. I ditched mine as soon as I could. Looks good in front of management though.

3. I personally can't recommend the nerve block. Had one surgery with, one without. I'd rather have the pain and try to deal with it through narcotics than go through a dead shoulder for a couple of days. It messed me up more than it was worth. the anesthesiologist gave me one, slipped in the needle right about the time I was telling her "no!". Too late. SERIOUSLY pissed me off and I filed a complaint with the surgery group.

4. DO NOT scrimp on the post surgery rehab exercises. they will hurt. A lot. But the more you hurt early, the quicker you will get it over with. The bottom line is that the scar tissue has to be worked out and stretched, and there are no short cuts. If you work on a list of exercises at home, DO THEM.

5. Budget your other medical needs around your shoulder. A steroid shot into the shoulder after a month or two - if you can get one - can really reduce inflammation and pain.

6. Medical deep tissue massages will be a bear to get through but will help in the long run.

7. Work with your doctor about what you CAN do and certain ranges of motion that are allowed. Three weeks after my last shoulder surgery (late Aug '14) I could not lift any weight at all "backhand" up, or lift anything over my shoulder height. But I could pick up "forehand" like a curl, and hold a camera up just fine even with a 4-5 lb lens. Could even carry multiple grocery bags in a curl fashion. But try a backhand lift and it was like someone moved into my shoulder with an icepick.

Good luck. One day you will wake up after about 6-8 months and realize hey, I'm not hurting any more. But it WILL take that long.