Rotator Cuff Surgery-4 weeks post-op
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First two weeks after surgery the pain was intense and I could not sleep unless I was in a recliner. Have been wearing the immobilized but have a tendency to remove it when I know that there is no risk of injury. I do wear it at night but find I can't sleep good because I am not a back sleeper. If I try sleeping on my side with a pillow under my arm my shoulder hurts more. My other problem is that I am 4 weeks post-op and I can only do 2/3 passive exercises. The one where you hold the wrist of your bad arm and raise it above your head is impossible! I can only raise it to my waist because of the pain. My surgeon told me I have to do it! Easy for him to say! Any advice would be helpful. By the way, at this point my pain is manageable with extra strength Tylenol and Tylenol PM's at night. It sounds as if that will all change when I start P.T. !
5 likes, 315 replies
robert98429 KJean
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mia98887 robert98429
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scrapbooker56 robert98429
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Rotator17 scrapbooker56
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I forgot to share that the pool & hot tub have been the best pain relief for me! The surgeon gave me water exercises that started in the hot tub at about 5 weeks post op because I developed capsulitis.
It's time consuming but I go to the gym almost every day just to get in the hot tub & I'm not a fan of public hot tubs! Wonderful for pain relief! I’m convinced the neutral buoyancy of the water has helped with my range of motion and comfort level as well as my attitude!
About a month ago I started kick boarding (in the gym pool) with arms outstretched & kicking on my back with arms overhead, all with PT permission. At least my lower body is getting a workout and the neutral buoyancy of the water has helped with my range of motion and comfort level; capsulitis is gone. I've even learned one can freestyle with one arm…sort of!
At 12 weeks post op RCR (subscapularis tendon repair, biceps tenodesis, acromioplasty and Mumford repair) I'm getting my life back.
If you try anything new make sure the surgeon approves and physical therapist advises you on motions specific to your needs.
mia98887 Rotator17
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nancy92352 Rotator17
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robert98429 nancy92352
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mia98887 nancy92352
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cathy87114 nancy92352
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I totally agree about Uber. You can plan on waiting to go to the gym because you won't feel like it for a while. You also want to wait until your surgeon and physical therapist say you are ready for that. My surgery was the 3rd week in September and I returned to yoga at my gym the last Saturday in December. I was antsy to get back, but glad I waited until the appropriate time. There are still things my shoulder won't let me do and there's a lot of crunchiness, but each day gets a little easier. Please be patient so you'll do everything right the first time and, hopefully, never have to go through it again.
mia98887 cathy87114
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Who would’ve thought not straightening your arm for a month which caused those tendons to tighten up so much? I was not expecting that kind of pain in my elbow. And going to the gym is the last thing I would want to do right now. I don’t even want to go out for fear someone might bump into me or I might trip and rip something.
The immobilizer comes off permanently on March 11, and the following week I will start physical therapy. YAY!!!!!
cathy87114 mia98887
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Mia, this is such good news. Keep up the good work. Just think what it will be like when you can actually connect the back of your bra without help! 5 months that took me!! This morning someone asked me after yoga if I was 100% yet. Needless to say, they haven't had this type of surgery. Baby steps!!
robert98429 scrapbooker56
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SaneXain KJean
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This discussion thread is THE reason I joined here - varied and excellent sharing of PEER experiences with shoulder surgeries. My hat is off to everyone of us! I know its too much to expect, but I seriously think that this discussion should be read by anyone with shoulder problems - hopefully before any treatment is done. Barring that, being able to gain insights and feedback from others is and has been a tremendous help for me and others too.
My story - I'm 67, tripped and ripped rotator cuff tendons last fall. I am and have long been very pain tolerant plus willing to give any 'hurt' time to allow healing if it can on own. Well, within a week after injury I helped hubby load firewood - wrong thing to do! - which of course probably made matters worse. Still hurt only when I really lifted something heavy. Long story short - it was almost 2 months before I had an MRI & saw an Ortho doc. The first doc was vague and said to return after month of PT. I knew he was not the man for me so next saw the #1 ace shoulder doctor who scheduled me for surgery - 2 months out. I will add that while each doctor had me do push/pull arm tests - both raised eyebrows when I could lift effected arm totally up over head.
I do respect and appreciate all this doctor provides - plenty of pre-op information, has web site with many and excellent videos for reference and nurse/office staff on the ball too. I asked questions as I came across concerns and all were responded to quickly. However, some replies where more vague and even conflicting (within staff).
I had rotator cuff arthroscopic surgery 12 days ago. The doctor told me he repaired 3 of 4 rotator cuff tendons as well as biceps. It went smoothly for me with a couple of minor hitches that were quickly resolved. I did take Tylenol PM the first night to assure sleep but haven't taken ANY pain meds since. Yes my arm aches now and then, but nothing like OMG! stop everything pain. I credit this to having good anti inflammatory options - curcumin + pepper and using grounding since late last year. I had been icing my shoulder at night before I started grounding and not needed ice since.
Sleep has been rougher - recliner chair first, now semi upright futon helps. But I am unhappy to not be able to sleep with hubby in own bed. Allowing myself to remove the arm sling and gently snuggle into supportive pillows has encouraged rest and sleep too.
And needing to wear the arm sling (plus abduction bolster) is the PITS! It has chaffed my skin and doesn't do diddle to 'immobilize' really. Within days I modified this device to be some velcro straps attached to the bolster which is strapped around my waist. It does a much better job of keeping my arm held and its also many times faster and easier to put on/off. The neck strap went OFF within a day - it was causing me neck pain. The (bolster) sling still chaffs my arm & side skin. However I also don't wear it 24/7. Its off when I can support arm without it and I've come to the understanding that the main purpose of this device is to hamper and not make my arm totally immobile. After all I have been encouraged to do some simple and easy exercises - elbow bending, wrist and neck stretches plus back shoulder blade pinches. Those do help with decreasing inflammation and hopefully prevent adhesions developing too.
It seems to me that gentle, 'intuitive' (body feedback) movement encourages healing too. I have slowly been doing little hand movements and if those cause more discomfort, back off and rest, doing easier an next time.
I will have a post op follow up visit with my doctor in a week. I am curious as to how he will be able to assess how I am doing. Do doctors use sonigram equipment to look at surgery areas? Certainly those would be not as clear as a MRI, but how else can it be determined if its thumb's up or down for next recovery steps?
Again BIG THANKS for all the sharing going on here. I am much more assured and comfortable with proceeding on. I do sincerely wish I had found this site & especially this discussion thread before I had surgery. But I am glad to have the repair work done and will do PT to regain as much function and strength as I can.
robert98429 SaneXain
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It takes a long time but I time it all resolves itself if you do what you are told to do.Tore mine 3 times the last the worst that needed surgery number 4. Had a great pt. It's been 6 months and now it is just a memory!
SaneXain robert98429
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One of the things I did pick up reading here is that each recovery is unique and depends on what I am willing to do (and NOT do
). What concerns me most is reading how some people are told one thing and others something else. Plus each PT person has their ideas and ways to work, and each of us must also be a bit judgemental about what we are being asked to do. I'm sure that actual harm from PT is rare, but there are enough posts here about having that done to remind me that I also have to be aware how my body is reacting and protect it if I feel what is requested of me is not a good idea.
But it is good to here that improvement is possible and may not be all that far down the road for me. That's what my objective always has been
.
mia98887 SaneXain
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All surgeons are different. But my surgeon looked me right in the eye, and said I am to wear this immobilizer 24/7 for six weeks. He said I can take it off & shower BUT I have to hold my arm up with my other hand and put a rolled towel under to keep the arm away from the body so the rotator cuff can heal. I had a 95% tear @ calcium deposit removed. I’m not quite sure what yours is? The immobilizer is extremely important in the first few weeks to allow that wound inside to heal and adhere to the bone. My orthopedic surgeon here in Santa Barbara California, works on famous athletes all over as well as people from Hollywood. He specializes in shoulders and knees. He’s written up in medical journals. So taking off this apparatus, it’s not even a consideration. I trust my surgeon and I would never do anything that he tells me I should not do. As far as physical therapy, I’m hoping to start it in a week. And I will listen to exactly what they tell me to do and not to do. I just want to heal. I’ve heard of people taking their apparatus off early and re-tearing it and having to have surgery all over again. So please be careful and listen to what your surgeon tells you! I would not take it off in bed I would not take it off at all if that’s what he tells you.
Good luck!!
mia98887 SaneXain
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Yes oh my gosh! You’re SO correct! Always do what you feel is right. A friend of mine had this surgery three years ago, he went to physical therapy, instead of a 2 pound weight they put a 12 pound weight & he was turning the peddles, ( was kind of an arm bicycle pedal ) he felt this pain and he re-injured his shoulder. The physical therapy person got fired, and he had to have a series of Cortizone injections to get the inflammation down so it would heal again and he basically started PT all over. So if you feel that something is not right you definitely have to pay attention to your body.
grammie48 SaneXain
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Good morning. Hope you are doing okay and feeling better. I wanted to let you know I saw my surgeon yesterday. I am 2 weeks post op today. I asked him about wearing that cumbersome bolster/pillow. He said it was okay if I didn't wear it because I don't have any little ones jumping around and not going to work. I'm pretty sedentary while recovering. I know every surgery and every surgeon is different. I had a surgery not many have had. He had to reconstruct my shoulder using cadaver tissue because the tendons were so badly damaged from a fall. But...it is worth talking to him about the pillow. I promised I would always wear the sling, even to sleep. Good luck to you!
cathy87114 SaneXain
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Wow, it sounds like you're doing everything right. I had the same chafing with my arm inside the sling. It just got so tender that I had to figure out something. So, you know the turban you put on your hair after washing it - Twisty Turban, I think they're called. I have 2 that are very soft and absorbent. Turns out they fit the inside of the sling just like a liner. It took all the irritation away and was warm during the cool Fall days of that part of recovery.