shoulder surgery
Posted , 7 users are following.
I am 6 weeks post op from shoulder surgery. I had 2 anchors put in my subscapularis tear, had bicep tenodesis extensive debridement and subacromial decompression, which he said he had to do more then had shown on MRI. I would like to hear from people who had similar surgeries. I started pt at 2 weeks with light stretching and go 2 times a week. Im doing the pulleys at home and icing every day. Im sleeping in my bed at 5 weeks and my pain is minimal unless I try to raise my arm above my head. My motion is pretty painless until I try to raise my arm above my head or try to stretch to far. WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD SIMILAR SURGERY AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO AT THE 6 WEEK AND PLUS MARK. THIS IS MORE THEN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AS I HAD MY KNEE REPLACED AND THAT WAs EASY COMPARED TO THIS. IM 69 AND VERY VERY ACTIVE IN SPORTS
0 likes, 11 replies
debbie38385 vincent_j65105
Posted
So sorry your surgery was so extensive. It seems like you have very good doctors. I had both shoulders replaced. One in 2005 and one in 2006. My first replacement was very difficult to recover from and I had months of physical therapy and at that time not many physical therapists in our home town were seeing many patients with shoulder replacements. I had no choice to have my surgeries since both shoulders had collapsed due to avascular necrosis caused by steroids for asthma. Had the second done in same university medical center but different surgeon. Everything about the second replacement went perfect. I did not require pain meds which I was prescribed. Most people who have had this surgery would think I am not being truthful BUT I had not one single physical therapy appointment. I was given some simple at home physical therapy things to do on my own. My husband and I both think I was started on too aggressive therapy after the first surgery.
Eventually I progressed to being able to have full range of motion and the first shoulder "caught up" and I could do anything I wanted with zero pain. Looking back, one exercise that helped me on 2nd shoulder was lying on a flat surface, holding a cut off broom handle, about 3 ft long and gently pushing with the other arm, moving the operated on arm up, letting the good arm do ALL the work. This can be increased gradually. Please don't get discouraged if you think you are not progressing as fast as you hoped. I think you are doing great considering how extensive your surgery was. Best wishes.
vincent_j65105 debbie38385
Posted
thank you and glad your doing good . I Think we all go into this thinking it will be easier then it is
mike1997 vincent_j65105
Posted
Hi,
I had almost exact same surgery as you on my right shoulder. I'm surprised they told you you could raise your arm above shoulder height. You do that unassisted? Sounds risky to me.
Take it easy. Don't push too hard, save yourself the pain and risk of ruining your surgery. This is one surgery that takes a long time to heal properly. You say you do sports? Contact sports? Overhead movement involved? I'd definitely wait till the surgeon gives you the ok to return and then maybe even wait a few months beyond that before going back.
I'm almost 15 months post op and almost feeling normal except for the most extreme endrange position there is a little stiffness but that's almost gone. I still do all my exercises and stretches daily and I can see myself improving still from week to week. Most of the athletes I've talked to said they don't feel completely normal until 18 months post op.
vincent_j65105 mike1997
Posted
MIKE, all the therapy i do is assisted at this 6 week point so im careful not to raise arm without my strong arm doing all the work . Im a avid tournament PICKLEBALL player so its important to have range of motion for overheads . IN THERAPY YOU DONT WANT TO DO TO MUCH AND DONT WANT TO DO YO LITTLE SO IM TRYING TO FIGURE THST OUT
mike1997 vincent_j65105
Posted
Hi, Vincent:
I understand completely. This recovery really plays with your head and patience. I felt the same way and wanted to hurry it along but the therapists constantly told me it takes time and they are right.
Personally, I'd rather do a little too little than too much. If you do too much you might actually set yourself back a bit. The head therapist told me it's a sawtooth progression where you will actually have alternating good/bad results of more stiffness and pain some days. It's a slow process but the general progression is upward.
Concentrate on that range of motion, I still do 15 months out from my surgery. "Range of Motion, Range of Motion Range of Motion" I still hear the therapist saying that as the most important thing.
mike1997 vincent_j65105
Posted
I thought I should mention that you should mention this to your surgeon. He has the last word. I consider the surgeon's opinion on restrictions to be the last word even more so than that of the therapist...although anyone reading this I'd like to hear your input on this as well.
So, sometime down the line when you see your surgeon again ask him about repetitive above the shoulder movement. Demonstrate in front of him the type of movements overhead you use in pickleball. Ask him when you can go full out participation in the sport with no worries.
You might also mention this to your physical therapist and maybe he can recommend exercises to keep you in shape and better conditioned for continuing the sport you love so much.
vincent_j65105 mike1997
Posted
Thank you Mike I WILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND SPEAK TO MY SURGEON NEXT WEEK
bert7700 vincent_j65105
Posted
hello vincent,
i unfortunately get to be a member of the club.
I had the following done 4 weeks ago
1)ARTHROSCOPY
2)DEBRIDMENT
3)SUBACROMAL Decompression
4)DISTAL CLAVICLE EXCISION
5)OPEN BICEP TENODESIS
when Dr went in, found a lot of inflammation due to injury, also he was surprised to find frozen shoulder as well
i start physical therapy 2 days after surgery. I cant raise my arm very high yet without pain. but i'm so happy they did due to the pain. dr gives a six month recovery with this
vincent_j65105 bert7700
Posted
BERT, I guess its a slow process , at 4 weeks I started a little bit with the rope pulleys. I found those to be very effective. You can get a pair on AMAZON for about 15.00 . Try them at your PT first. I feel thats the best for my assisted range of motion . Please keep me updated and we can compare notes
bill49757 vincent_j65105
Posted
Based on what you have said, i think you are doing real well. This is a long and steady process. I am 16 months post op and still not 100 percent.
vincent_j65105
Posted
ANYONE DOING REHAB AT AROUND THE 5 WEEK MARK OR BETTER GET THE SHOULDER PULLEYS THAT HOOK UP TO DOOR FOR HOME . THERE GREAT EXERSISES FOR ROM ASSISTED. THEY HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY REHAB AND SEEM TO HELP THE MOST . SINCE USING I CAN GET MY ARM STRAIGHT UP NOW AT THE 7 WEEK MARK . MY SURGERY WAS ROTATOR CUFF , TENODESIS ON BICEP AND EXTENSIVE DEBRIBEMENT . GOOD LUCK