Constant worry about hurting rotator cuff repair
Posted , 3 users are following.
It is always good to hear that others are going through the same thing that you are, so I was relieved to find this rotator cuff discussion board. I am 7.5 weeks post surgery for a massive tear in my right rotator cuff that was repaired ( I hope) with arthroscopic surgery that included six calcium screws and bone spur removal. I wore my sling for 6 weeks and slept in a recliner for a little longer than that, but have been in my bed for about a week. Being a stomach sleeper, I had problems sleeping in the recliner, but am actually back on my stomach again, holding my right arm down at myside supported by a pillow.
I constantly worry that I have inadvertently done something to harm the repair. These include reaching my arm out, accidentally lifting a bowl with both hands, and the topper last week, playing Bunco. That is a game where you roll three dice repeatedly. Stupidly, I used te hand of my surgical arm. When I looked online today--always a dangerous thing to do--I read the following:
You may also be told not to use your or hand on the side that had surgery. For example, DO NOT: Lift anything with this arm or hand. Lean on the arm or put any weight on it. Bring objects toward your stomach by pulling in with this arm and hand.
Move or twist your elbow behind your body to reach for anything.
Although my pain for about a month has been controlled by Tylenol (2000 mg a day does it), my arm felt sorer than usual for two days. Now it is okay again. I just hope those repetitive movements of playing that stupid game didn't do any damage. On the one hand (or should I say arm), you want to be careful, but on the other hand, it is probably not great to worry too much, Any thoughts on this? I will see my PT on Tuesday and he is very patient with this patient who always has lots of questions!
0 likes, 4 replies
christine75909 elaineab
Posted
You have just described almost everyones feelings post RC surgery! The constant anxiety as to every accidental movement , knock, trip harming the repair. I am 6 months post surgery like yourself from complex surgery and appear to be healing well. However I still worry doing new tasks. You are still early in your recovery so I would be a little more cautious but be guided by your pyhsio.
As you so rightly point out it is not great to worry too much but be wary of over confidence!
Good luck
elaineab christine75909
Posted
Thank you so much for responding, Christine! I have an appointment with my surgeon in a little over a month and at that time I will learn whether my surgery was effective. I am 71 and he said there was a 70% chance of it "working". I guess after 65 the blood flow isn't as as good. I am an optimist though and believe I will be in the 70% as long as my Bunco night didn't destroy my repair! :-)
ricochetred elaineab
Posted
You're not alone. I'm a PT myself, at 15 weeks, and even I worry about injuring myself and have done so all along. It's hard to be your own PT. I worry about things the ordinary person would probably not even think to worry about.
Whenever you start to do something new...there is a normal degree to which you will feel some new pain. And I think it's normal to worry that you have done something to injur it. Usually if the new pain occurs after doing something new, it will probably go away in 24-48 hours. And of course the closer you are to surgery, the more you will worry and the higher the liklihood of injury. By the time the sling is off, you are usually ok for at least normal active assisted range of motion within pain tolerance in all planes below horizontal and by 8 weeks usually ok for active range of motion in all planes to tolerance and still without lifting with operated arm. I noticed things improved rapidly between weeks 8-10. It's just hard to remember to not use the arm for lifting so for my first 2 weeks out of the sling, I would wear it loosely as a reminder to be careful with how I do things.
I hope things will begin to get easier and pain decrease so that your mind will become more at ease.
elaineab ricochetred
Posted
So good to hear from a PT. I can understand where you might worry since you know more than we civilians do. Thanks for giving me the 24-48 hour pain length. That is exactly how long mine lasted. So many people on this forum write about their intense pain, and mine has seemed reasonable after the first few days. I have a high threshhold of pain though which worked against me as I waited longer than I should have to have my surgery in the first place. Now I can only do the best I can do. I hope you are doing well too--am guessing you are back at work by now. I am 71 and mostly retired, but I have pretty goof genes. My mother had total reverse shoulder replacecment of one shoulder at 90 and the other at 91 and she still drives, lives in my childhood home and entertains "the elderly" several times a week in a singing group where she usually has a solo in her beautiful deep voice. Guess I am one lucky lady!
Thanks again for writing!