Aching arm after shoulder surgery 4 months on

I had my surgery 01/24/21, they made me wait 6 weeks before physical therapy. Once I started my PT my elbow pain started. It was so bad I couldn't do the PT. My surgeon said it was pain transference from my rotate cuff surgery. On 05/17/21, I had tenex surgery on my elbow. I get the stitches out on Tuesday of next week. I can still barely lift my arm. I am really worried about this whole thing. This all started when i tripped over my cat, and fell backwards and landed on the corner of the counter then hit the floor. Any Suggestions.

I had rotator cuff and torn tendon repair five and a half months ago and have been wondering the same thing. I still have quite a lot of pain and now has started to click and pop.

My surgeon kept pressing me to have a cortisone injection which I initially rejected. They don't seem to work for me. However, I gave in and had the injection four days ago, seems very slightly worse but imagine that is just initial reaction to the cortisone.

Am getting so tired of the constant pain and restricted movement. Unfortunately, the problem was with my left shoulder and I am (should I say was?) left handed.

Good to hear that I'm not alone, was beginning to wonder if I was just being a whiner and this slow recovery a personal failure. No stiff upper lip.

I really had no idea how long this might all take. Hip replacement was a breeze compared to this.

So...in answer to your question, I can only say that you are certainly not alone but whether the clicking is a sign of something wrong I don't know. I too would like to know this. l hope by now you are feeling a bit better.

I had a rotator cuff repair surgery 3 months ago, and I also have a constant ache in my shoulder. I also have really bad pain in my bicep, wrist and hand. My physical therapist thinks I have a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). I am not able to make any progress with range of motion because when I do any of the stretching or exercises, I set off an inflammatory response that is painful and lasts 3 days. I believe my shoulder froze the first week after surgery as an autoimmune response to the trauma of the surgery. I am at increased risk for frozen shoulder because I am in my 50s and female.

It is possible your shoulder is frozen. How are you progressing with range of motion exercises? An MRI can diagnose this condition, if you can convince your doctor that something is wrong. I am scheduled for an MRI next week, but it's petty clear to me that my shoulder is frozen.

Good luck. I feel your pain.

I had rotator cuff surgery on June 1.

although I have gained range of motion , but I still can not hold my arm up. also everything I exercise, my shoulder gets lifted.

I am feeling very depressed.

Hi, I was reading your posts, and am presently 4months out myself. They did distal claviculectimy, I think it's called. Said the shoulder even sitting in the socket, split bicep repair, shaving bone spurs, multiple tears in labrum and and badly torn rotator cuff. Shoulder was shot. Does it still ache. Oh yeah, I get aggravated at myself still grunting and groaning with this goofy shoulder. still in rehab twice a week and doing exercises at home but still have very limited ROM. Surgeon said he needed to do the manual manupulation of the shoulder ( trying break up encapsilated scar tissue) under anesthesia . This past week he said it is too far gone and ordered an MRI and suggested he go back and clean up all of the scar tissue and start right back in PT immediately.

I got home and told my wife I was bummed out at the thought of them going back in and starting all of this over again. Slept in the recliner for seven weeks and had wear sling and wrap because of the labrum repair, arm wasn't allowed to be lifted to the side for awhile. Dr said this surgery wouldn't be as bad because all of the anchors have been put in place. Do I really want to go through this again when everyday for the last 4 months revolve around this crazy shoulder thing lol. Oh well, hopeful if they do this surgery and I stay in PT this thing will heal up. Am I apprehensive? Oh yeah! Three knee surgeries on the same knee and two hernia repairs lol, I have never had a procedure last this long. Hopefully, this will fix it. Didn't mean to get long winded but it is nice to hear from folks that are or who have through it. Good luck with your recovery.

Hey there. Yeah, this does happen. I'm on my second surgery. Had the first arm done last year. There ARE setbacks. Things can go well for a long time, then suddenly your move wrong and tweak the arm and it feels terrible for weeks. I had this happen at the 4 month mark, and it lasted FOREVER. I was certain I retore the tendon. After a couple of weeks of freaking out, I went back on ice AGGRESSIVELY, just like I did in the beginning of my healing. That mean being on the ice machine ALL DAY, with bathroom breaks and breather breaks, but in bed for a full week. After a week, it started to calm down and then recede more and more every day. I stayed on the ice after that several hours a day. You know, on ice for a couple of hours reading, then off to stretch my legs for an hour or so, then back on ice, like that all day long. Eventually it went away. But it took a long time. My doctor said 'as long as you didnt feel a sharp pain after hanging from a tree or something, or a rip/tear/pop as you were doing something, you likely just stressed it'. Here I am a year and 8 months later and its fine. I do get pain if I use it too much, but nothing major. Just a little 'hey, you need to be more vigilant about your shoulder exercises', and that reminder makes me resume my shoulder exercises a few times a week then the tiny discomfort goes away. I have heard from many a PT that while a year is standard for the shoulder to be pretty much healed, it can take two years of constant vigilance, PT at home and slow strength building to bring it back to normal. Try the ice machine and be committed to it. If it doesnt resolve after a week, see the doc.

Also, in PT, my shoulder clicked a few times (I'm at 8 weeks) and the PT said that it was a stiff muscle and nothing to be concerned about. She said that's what happens when the muscles have not been used and are constricted in the sling.

Something that may help others: Rotator cuff surgery success diminishes with age.

I had mine done nine months ago. The pain all throughout physical therapy never really went away, so went to a new surgeon for second opinion.

Just had an MRI and found out that everything has torn again. So, back to square one. Second opinion surgeon helpfully told me that at my age 74 I should have been told that there was a good chance that the repair would not hold. Not thrilled!

Another surgery is obviously not an option. Am now stuck with limited motion and continuous pain in my 'main use' arm.

NB The initial surgeon just kept telling me to exercise my arm. He was not keen to admit that the surgery had failed.

Same here, but I am going on 5th month post op. Still have stiffness , soreness and popping sounds in the repaired right shoulder. I have mobility but can only lift 4 pounds at most during daily exercises. This is very frustrating!