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Shoulder surgery recovery

Posted , 4 users are following.

FooFighter
FooFighter

Hello to everyone here. Firstly, I am not native english speaker and I hope you will understand me perfectly.

I had shoulder surgery six and half months ago, older dislocation and fracture, my arm was in sling for about 2 months and I did 2 and half months PT with some pause in between. Now I will start my PT again.

I don’t have pain when I sit, sleep, eat, drive car or whatever. I have only little pain when I do certain exercises like touching my other healthy shoulder or certain positions in bed.

Is it normal to feel stiffness after 6 and half months after surgery? Do I have maybe frozen shoulder, but I got back lot of ROM? I did X-Ray last month and went to couple of doctors to hear opinion and they said that my X-Ray was perfectly fine.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • ctrix1
    ctrix1 FooFighter

    Posted

    I haven't had shoulder surgery, but I have had other types of surgery. I'm not surprised that after 6 1/2 months, that you're still not 100 %. A lot of your recovery, (really all of it) is up to you. You need to find your limits and try to push them some. Maybe ask your physical therapist, or doctor if anything like the gym might speed things up. Or what exercises might help and what types of movements to avoid.

    • FooFighter
      FooFighter ctrix1

      Posted

      Is it normal to have shoulder hiking and stiffness couple of months after surgery?

      When I raise my shoulder sideway acromion and AC joint looks kinda bigger, stiff and round than the healthy shoulder. Probably need more months to relax. Is anyone have the same after surgery?

  • ED2018
    ED2018 FooFighter

    Posted

    Hello FooFighter,

    You didn't state exactly the type of shoulder surgery you had - but as someone who has had major surgeries on both shoulders (rotator cuff, acromioplasty, bicep tenodesis and calcium debridement), I can share that it would not be unusual for it to take 9-12 months for you to fully recover. PT is critical in maintaining ROM - it is something that you will need to consistently adhere to and make certain that you remain in close communication with your therapist should you feel pain OR increasing symptoms of stiffness. It would be normal to be slightly sore the day after PT - but it shouldn't last more than that. Also - if you do have a problem and experience increasing stiffness or pain that doesn't respond to rest, ice or heat - then a discussion with your MD would be best. X-rays don't really do a good job of showing soft tissue problems - so if you continue to have problems, you need to push for an MRI/arthrogram. That will show the interior shoulder structures and allow a proper diagnoses if you have a problem. In the meantime - it is really important for you to have a very good physical therapist and for you to stick with the program they create. Wishing you the best!

  • FooFighter
    FooFighter

    Posted

    Hey, thanks for replay. What is better for shoulder joints and soft tissues? MRI or CT? Some doctors says CT, some says MRI.

  • FooFighter
    FooFighter

    Posted

    I can write my diagnosis on Latin, but I guess nobody here knows how to read medicine language.

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