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Shoulder Rehabilitation after surgery

Posted , 4 users are following.

stevepil1980
stevepil1980

HI All

I am 6 weeks post surgery and have started physio -  ouch did that hurt!

I have been given loads of exercises which I am doing religiously but there is one "Shoulder forward elevation" where I have to lift my arm above my head, I use my good arm and a stick to raise it and I get to about 90 degrees currently.

The trouble when I lower my arm I get a horrible sensation that it will dislocate, I know it wont as I keep getting told it wont but it feels like muscles or something are moving and it feels horrible.

Is this normal for post surgery?  I had the latarjet so coracoid bone moved to front of shoulder with the additional ligament working as a sling in the arm.

Any ideas / advice of people who recovering from shoulder surgery would be really appreciated,  my surgeon just says "trust me that aint coming out" but I still worry over it as it feels strange when I do that exercise and looking for reassurance I suppose it is normal

Thanks

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • bill49757
    bill49757 stevepil1980

    Posted

    I'm at 90 degrees at 6 months as well. Except I had my 1st therapy at 2 weeks post op. Sounds like your surgery was more extensive than mine . Perhaps the reason for long wait on therapy?  Expecting 90degrees at first session seems like a bit much. When I use the stick for 10 reps , it takes me up to # 6 before I can approach 90 degrees. How about you?  I know everyone's situation is different. Perhaps too much to expect with first therapy session?

    • stevepil1980
      stevepil1980 bill49757

      Posted

      Thannk you for the reply and good luck to you in your recovery too!

      I am only at 6 weeks not 6 months,  but I can get to about 90 degrees after a few reps,  the worry I had was when coming down it feels like it jumps a little and not sure if that is normal?  I just fear it was going to dislocate again but I am told it wont but so anxious it will.

       

  • henpen1980
    henpen1980 stevepil1980

    Posted

    Are you laying on your back doing passive exercise?

    Ask for demo from your PT on how to use a large yoga ball fitness ball to stretch your arm shoulder. It's excellent!!

    Good luck post updates.

    • stevepil1980
      stevepil1980 henpen1980

      Posted

      Yeah I am laying on my back as if I do it the other way, I lift my whole shoulder up which the PT kept telling me off for.

      The worry as mentioned was coming down that it feels like it jumps but not sure if normal or not sad

       

    • arj50436
      arj50436 stevepil1980

      Posted

      It's probably normal. You're at a very early stage and your shoulder is not completely stable yet nor very strong. Make sure that you support it on the way down when you start doing active lifting. 

  • stevepil1980
    stevepil1980

    Posted

    I am 7 weeks now, and I am doing my PT but wow does it hurt.

    I am approx. 90 degrees if I lift my arm up with my good arm.

    I have today though tried to put my elbow bent on my desk so my arm is like a V and move my arm to the side and wow I got such a pain down the back of my arm and it still hurts now....

    I am so worried about my movement as I have hardly any and all videos you see online show remarkable recoveries and struggling to find people with real experience like some of you on here,  just don't know if what I am going through is normal or not

    Thinking about driving and holding steering wheel properly or simply washing my hands - IE stretching my arms out to the sink seem unthinkable at present and I am 7 weeks, how long will this be like it as I am getting really depressed now too.

    • bill49757
      bill49757 stevepil1980

      Posted

      Don't get too depressed Steve. I am only 2 days different than you, but I started therapy at 2 weeks. I can wash my hands, but trying to type this with both hands is a killer. Therapist can get me to 116 degrees, but closer to 90 on my own. 

    • stevepil1980
      stevepil1980 bill49757

      Posted

      Thanks bill, it is reassuring to hear someone at a similar stage.

      I suffer with anxiety and I am so anxious and getting down now but know I shouldn't,  it is still early days but it is hard.

      I can actually type OK it doesn't hurt that element - sorry for you on that part,  I just cant do much else, lol

      Good Luck in your recovery too and keep in touch please as be good to know how you are healing - I think I should have had PT much earlier than 6 weeks but my consultant said I cant until 6 but everywhere I read on the surgery said you should start after 2-3 weeks.

    • stevepil1980
      stevepil1980 bill49757

      Posted

      Do have another question for you Bill

      When you do shoulder flexion, do you get pain when you lower the arm back down,  IE like the muscles at the top of your arm are jumping/moving?  It feels like its the bone moving but am assured it is not, I lower my arm slowly but so worried it will dislocate and I shouldn't have this fear anymore with the surgery but when I feel that muscle movement it makes me worry.

      Is that normal?  do you find similar sensation when lowering your arm from the flexion position, it is usually fine going up

    • bill49757
      bill49757 stevepil1980

      Posted

      Yes I do get a lot of pain lowering it. My PT and surgeon advised me that it is perfectly normal. 
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