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Frozen shoulder after labrum tear surgery

Posted , 13 users are following.

alison41082
alison41082

Hi, I am a 46 year old woman. On June first I underwent my first surgery ever. I had a torn labrum slap tear, biceps was cut and attached down my arm a little way do to it being shredded up at the top, acriom was hooked so that was shaved down and quite a few bone spurs were shaved off! My rotator cuff was not torn just p*ssed off! I also have some bulging and degenerative neck problems. The surgery seemed to go fine I was very nervous going in too surgery but felt pretty good after! At day 10 I was still feeling pretty good although my neck was really starting to get sore from sling! After that things went downhill! I started getting shooting pains down my arm that would just about toss me to the floor in pain! My neck was agonizing and I seemed to be getting worse every day not better! At three weeks I showed up for the start of my pt and she removed my sling and started her evaluation. The look on her face was alarming but I had no clue what was happening just figured normal surgery stuff! Well apparently I had gotten extreme frozen shoulder which she avoided telling me but texted my dr! I am now 8 weeks out of my surgery and 6 weeks into frosen shoulder! I do pt 3 times a week and exercises at home daily! I did a week on the heavy steroids and also take meloxicam! I saw my surgeon last week and he ordered me a passive motion machine for my home! I am not improving still feels like the freezing is just starting but I am also still recovering from surgery so it's hard to separate the 2! Has anyone else used the passive motion machine for therepy for FS? This is awful I can do stuff for about 4 hours a day then mainly the pain is too much! I'm so afraid this is just the beginning of the FS! Is there anyone else currently dealing with this and surgery recovery simoutaniously? Please tell me how this should play out!

1 like, 34 replies

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  • frozen_stiff
    frozen_stiff alison41082

    Posted

    Alison ,You are another person with a painful stiff post surgical shoulder who has been told it is frozen. You do not have the viking disease.
    • alison41082
      alison41082 frozen_stiff

      Posted

      Well I think you are completely wrong! At pt they told me that a lot of people say they have frozen shoulder but they don't! They said mine is a classic frozen shoulder! I have also seen 2 separated surgeons who again agree it is frozen shoulder! At pt they use my arm as an example as the training shoulder so they can feel what real frozen shoulder feel like compared to people with stiff shoulders! They have all the interns work on me so they can understand the difference and how it feels! I can see in the pt faces the difference on how it feels to move my arm! My whole shoulder blade moves but nothing from the socket! I also have loud popping noises sometimes in pt from adhesions that break off! Why do you think this is not frozen shoulder it has every sign of frozen shoulder and 3 people with PhDs confirming frozen shoulder?

    • amy90290
      amy90290 alison41082

      Posted

      Alison, I feel so sorry for you and what you are going through! My frozen shoulder happened after an injury and I had to pretty much diagnose it myself! My MD said I had a "stiff" shoulder and to keep stretching it through vigorous therapy. It was not working and was extremely painful. I finally did some research online and came across a doctor in Canada that could treat my frozen shoulder in one treatment! I did the free consult and assessment and was accepted to have the trigenic OAT procedure done. I had it done three weeks ago and it was amazing! I have total ROM back! If I kept doing therapy the way I was I feel that I would have never regained my ROM the way this treatment did. Maybe you should consider seeing this doctor, he will change your life! I can let you know more if you wish.

    • frozen_stiff
      frozen_stiff alison41082

      Posted

      alison, you have the opposite to a classic FS. A classic FS just come at between 40 to 60. Post op stiff shoulders at any age. At PT they are continuing the FS myth as these two surgeons are. As I have said before it has become commonplace to call any stiff shoulder frozen. If these PhDs think you have a frozen shoulder why are you having to do PT. Other PhDers here on this same subject say NO PT at al, it will resolve in a couple of years, Your description shoulder should confirm to the chief therapist that locking never happens with FS. At worst abduction is limited by 70 to 80 degrees, lateral rotation by 60 to 70 and medial rotation by 30, so it is never locked. It seems that if joints are almost or fully as you describe it may be some sort of arthrofibrosis. Go and see your surgeon forthwith.  All of this info is on the web.
    • alison41082
      alison41082 frozen_stiff

      Posted

      If you read any website on frozen shoulder it says clearly it can come on after time in a sling following surgery! I have prob read every frozen shoulder article on the web and everyone describes exactly what I am experiencing! I wish I didn't have frozen shoulder!

    • AP53847
      AP53847 amy90290

      Posted

      Amy, I have been looking at the trigenic OAT procedure online, but thought it was too good to be true.  From what you are describing, it sounds like it is totally legit.  Can you explain what happened during the procedure when you were there?  I am at a point where nothing seems to be working.  I hope you are still doing well.
  • torr93030
    torr93030 alison41082

    Posted

    Hi Alison. It sounds like adhesive capsulitis to me (frozen shoulder) I have had it for years. I went to 5 docs and not one properly diagnosed it. I injured my shoulder skiing. What happened next was the internal scar tissue formed between the fascia and the injured dislocated shoulder. It actually was locked in a dislocated state until I was able to unlocked by slowly breaking the scar tissue down and unwinding the fascia. Google myofascial release. This process realign the body along with breaking down the scar tissue with ART (active release tech w trigger points) I tried to work my way out of the injury and this compensation Ali g w inflammation exacerbated the frozen shoulder just tightening it more while forming more scar tissue and pain. Rest and constant stretching to break the adhesions down is the best way to realign your body. Good posture is also paramount! Hot tubs, saunas, deep tissue massage along with acupuncture and a chiropractor visit will all help you recover. The bad news is it can take years to break down all of the adhesions and release the fascia completely, but the good news is you can and will recover with out surgery. I have lived this painful nightmare. My shoulder has heald dramatically. Just be persistent.
    • alison41082
      alison41082 torr93030

      Posted

      Ya it's def frozen shoulder confirmed by everyone! I am headed for mua and capsule release surgery and praying it dosnt come back after that! I can't do this for years! I have had no improvement after 31/2 months and literally have no external use of my arm! My dr seems confident! But he seemed confident before he did my initial surgery! Just frustrated and depressed but actually feels a little better that I might get out with surgery and be back moving in months instead of years! Thanks for your advice I have stopped pt cause I do truly feel it made it worse! They would move it far beyond what it could and I would feel it freezing back up on way home! I'm scared to death of the mua and capsule release as I don't feel like my initial bicep and labrum tears have fully heeled with all the aggressive pt! Hope they don't re rip those while doing the mua!

    • torr93030
      torr93030 alison41082

      Posted

      stretching is useless unless you are actually breaking the fibrous adhesions. Active Release Technique therapy may be an alternative. You need to create space in the shoulder capsule to restore your range of motion and blood flow. The key is get the pressure off of the compressed nerves. Micro adhesions need to be broken down as well. The problem w surgery is it often creates more scar tissue/fibrous adhesions that create more pain/ nerve compression/ reduced blood flow. Manipulation by an oesteopath maybe something you want to try before surgery. Actupunture help save as well. I am improving every day without surgery from some fancy Doctor. They could not even diagnos my adhesive capsulitis. Anti inflammatory medication can help.
  • holly123177
    holly123177 alison41082

    Posted

    Hi.  I'm 7 weeks out from from labrum tear repair surgery (SLAP & Bankart; and also AC joint reconstruction).  After surgery, I quickly developed 2 blood clots in the arm that was operated on.  Prior to surgery, I had pretty limited ROM in the affected arm for 6 months due to the accident that led to the surgery.  I've been doing agressive physical therapy for 3 weeks, as well as stretches and exercising at home.  At my follow-up today, I was told that I have "frozen shoulder".  My orthopedic specialist wants to discuss MUA at my next appointment (in one month), if there is not marked improvement in my ROM by then.  I feel like this is jumping the gun.  Could this just be "post-op stiffness"?  I'm hoping that it is, but at the same time, afraid that it's not because of all of those months of limited movement prior to surgery.  Of course, I'm in ridiculous pain, but can't take NSAID's, as I am on blood thinners, due to the blood clots that developed.  Alison, did you have the MUA?  Was it successful?  I'm terrified of having it and it not working or causing more problems.  I hope you are getting some sort of relief! 

    • alison41082
      alison41082 holly123177

      Posted

      Holly, oh you poor thing! I ended up having mua and capsular release surgery 6 months to the day from my labrum tear! I am 2 months post mua and starting to feel better! I waited the 6 months because I had read that you want to make sure it is frozen! But there is a price to waiting as all your muscles will atrophy then the recovery process is lone! I still don't have the muscle to lift my arm just from muscle loss but it can move with someone moving it or I use different things to help! So all that said, I wouldn't wait I suffered pretty good in the 6 months so the surgery won't add much to that! So the gamble of getting out quicker might be worth it! I just have heard that sometimes people have it re freeze! Keep me updated and let me know if you have any questions

    • holly123177
      holly123177 alison41082

      Posted

      Alison,

      Thank you for your reply!  I am glad to hear you are getting some relief!  I went to PT this morning, and my therapist does NOT think my shoulder is frozen.  Of course, I think this is great news, but makes things even more confusing - especially in light of what you said - re: waiting to have MUA.  I'm considering getting a second opinion.  

    • alison41082
      alison41082 holly123177

      Posted

      That's interesting that your surgeon is saying FS and your pt is not ! I showed up to my pt 3 weeks after my original surgery and she literally looked at me and I think her jaw dropped it was my first surgery so I thought it was all part of surgery! She texted my dr right away! If you trust your pt stick with it hopefully for your sake it's not FS😊

    • holly123177
      holly123177 alison41082

      Posted

      Oh gosh...  It's all so confusing, and you never really know who to fully trust. This was my first surgery too, and for weeks, I heard how I needed to be so careful, and not move this way or that way, then, all of a sudden, this major freak-out, when I couldn't move it it to a certain degree. To further complicate things, we moved from Kansas to South Carolina literally three days after my surgery, so the specialist I am seeing for follow-ups, is not the doctor who performed my surgery.  As you described, my PT is able to move my arm, but I can't move it.  External rotation is the worst.  I can't even get to "neutral" on my own.  :-(  I intend to keep working hard.  I'm motivated, as I want to ride my bike when it gets warm (how I got in this mess in the first place!).  Thanks for starting this thread & for the info!  

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