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After Rotator Cuff Surgery - What are your best tips, books, products?

Posted , 5 users are following.

arj50436
arj50436

Hello, 

I am almost two weeks post surgery. I had a full tear and a couple other issues,  I realize that every surgery is different and advise is different depending on your surgery. I have to keep my brace for 4 weeks, which turned out to be a good thing because I'm kind of clumsy.  I have been spending more time with it off these past couple of days while sitting in my recliner; I have already started P/T with a therapist who is a cross between Mother Theresa, a football coach and a brutal drill Sargent. 

Anyway, I thought it would be helpful to hear tips from people ahead of me on the curve. Especially from people who live alone like I do. Luckily I have a lot of standby help and, as a starving artist, some resources to fall back on but not everybody does.

My tip:  I moved my bedding and a wedge pillow to a futon that I keep in in couch position so that my shoulder has some firm support behind it .  I can even sleep a little on my side that way. Bonus tip: If you gain enough weight while you are banned from the gym, you can rest your arm on your stomach, you can lose it later, Otherwise a pillow can be used to prop up your arm when sleeping on your side, I can't wait to get back to the gym.

 

2 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • alex69578
    alex69578 arj50436

    Posted

    I am about 15 months post op. My doctor gave me the ok to lift lightly about 7 months after. I worked out one handed up until then to keep toned. I slowly worked a little more each month.. I started working semi heavy 10-11 months. I still had some pain and discomfort and had to cut a lot of workouts short. The pain worsened and I went back to see my surgeon at about 13 months. He told me everything was good , however, he was surprised that I was able to workout using heavier weights because rotator cuff surgery is for pain relief only and not to get me back to lifting heavyweights. In all the things I read about rotator cuff surgery I had never heard before.....

    However, I kept working out and it is finally subsided. It still gets sore once in a while and every now and then I feel a tug when I am working out so I have to stop when it does.He said that I should stop doing anything with weights above my head to save wear and tear on the joint  so I don't do any type of pressing overhead..

    He also said that If I do keep working out I will probably need a shoulder replacement in about 10 years and then I wouldn't be able to lift over 25 lbs.ever again....So I am being really careful now..

    ?I really didn't have too much trouble sleeping after about 2 months so that was good. I also lived alone at the time of surgery and did have help but was alone for a lot of time.. I practiced two months prior to the surgery doing everything one handed so I would be able to do things alone and wouldn't be frustrated doing basic things like showering, getting my socks and pants on etc.

    ?I hope all goes well for you..

    • arj50436
      arj50436 alex69578

      Posted

      That's great that you are already lifting again!! 7 months is great!

  • grammie48
    grammie48 arj50436

    Posted

    2 weeks?  You are doing good.  I am 12 weeks today.  I hadn't heard of anyone sleeping on the couch/futon except for myself.  After a week of sleeping in the recliner I had had enough of that, so I stretched out  on the couch on  my good side with the back of the couch as support.  Ahhhhhh the little things.  My doctor allowed me to put a pillow on my lap and and unhook the sling so that I could lay my arm on my lap while sitting around.  Gave my neck a break. I see you have met who I affectionately call MM (mean man).  I had a little more extensive surgery so I couldn't start therapy until  6 weeks.  Even though I couldn't do things I wanted, I do try to get out most days and walk, even if only a mile.  Sounds like you  have it together.  The hardest thing for me is I am impatient.  I want to be better NOW.  It's a slow process, take baby steps and  look back to see the progress you are making.  

    • arj50436
      arj50436 grammie48

      Posted

      I am also very impatient!! From reading this forum I understand that this is not a good thing. I overdid it a few days ago on a rainy windy day and thanks to a comedy of errors, I fell. I was able to twist my body around and fall to my knees before catching myself on my good arm but I had some excruciating biceps pain in my bad arm for a few seconds. Before that happened, I had thought that perhaps I should take a cab because if the weather and because I was tired but felt that walking would be good exercise for me. Nope, It was not good.
  • arj50436
    arj50436

    Posted

    I'm now at week 4 with occasional times that I want to chew off my own arm and am forced to resort to the forbidden naproxen instead.

    I start massage therapy tomorrow. My next tip, good for people who are not post surgery too: One of my physical therapist assistants gave me a tennis ball surrounded by rubber bands for self massage. In my "healthy shoulder handbook" book (https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Shoulder-Handbook-Exercises-Preventing-ebook/dp/B003ODHOOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526572726&sr=8-1&keywords=healthy+shoulder+handbook) he shows you how to use the tennis ball against the wall and I've been using it to get to that sore place under my shoulder which happens to me a trigger point. 

    Here is some more information: https://www.painscience.com/articles/tennis-ball.php

     

  • arj50436
    arj50436

    Posted

    I am now at 5 weeks, one week out of my sling. I am a side sleeper. I am finding post surgery to be extremely expensive.  I have to pay for food delivery, have my laundry done,  buy ice every few days and I've purchased a few really useless books about shoulder surgery. I also purchased an inexpensive recliner chair that I've never been able to sleep in and a wedge pillow that should come in useful after I hopefully recover (that feels very far away right now) because I have GERD. 

    Today I received my latest purchase. I am a side sleepers so I ordered an affordable V pillow on Amazon. I just tried it out after doing my exercises and it's wonderful. It's great to take pleasure in small things. Tomorrow I should  receive a mattress topper that is supposed to be good for people with orthopedic issues. I'll report back. 

    I am no longer able to take Naproxen or Advil due to GERD, they upset my stomach horribly. I am already on medication for GERD and a pretty high dose, but nothing seems to help if I take Advil.

    I also suffer from migraines and I've had mornings where I've woken up with horrible heartburn, a painful and stiff shoulder and a pounding migraine. Migraines are exacerbated by both Oxycodone and by heartburn medication. Choosing the right combination of drugs can be complicated and confusing and I often feel like a miserable mess in the mornings before I force myself to do my stretches and exercises. I've asked my doctor if I can try a gel or some other anti-inflammatory that won't be so rough on my stomach, doubled my magnesium and a judicious in the amount of Oxycodone that I take.  As far as pain relief is concerned, it seems like Oxycodone is the one that does the least damage to your body but I'm afraid of addiction.  I'm stumped and wondering if I should do pain management.

    Getting out of the house and moving around helps a lot, as long as I am aware of my limitations and take a cab home (yet another expense) if I tire out. 

    • grammie48
      grammie48 arj50436

      Posted

      My doctor prescribed Diclofenac for me.  It is an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever that is a gel I massage into my shoulder.  The more you use it the better it works.   Maybe you can ask your surgeon.  I'm all for anything that keeps me from taking another pill.

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