NFT: Experience with torn rotator cuff surgery/rehab?

Can't speak to running but I was able to speed walk and use elliptical four days later.

repaired in the past 5 years.

On one I had an impingement, torn rotator cuff and a frayed labrum.

The other was just torn rotator cuff and frayed labrum.

Surgery is easy. For me it was out patient, tiny incision and they cut away fraying and stitch any tears.

rehab was a pain. PT for a few months, but it took a while to get back to full strength. Maybe 6 months. PT was twice a week and I want to say an hour each visit.

About where do you live? I could maybe recommend someone.

I always try to really oversell how terrible the rehab is. After back surgery it’s the worst in orthopedics. Just be aware of that. It’s worth it but it’s not easy.

Also I haven’t “opened” a cuff ever. That doesn’t really need to be done. If it is it’s because the surgeons more comfortable doing it that way.

In comment 14912543 Jerz44 said:

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About where do you live? I could maybe recommend someone. I always try to really oversell how terrible the rehab is. After back surgery it’s the worst in orthopedics. Just be aware of that. It’s worth it but it’s not easy. Also I haven’t “opened” a cuff ever. That doesn’t really need to be done. If it is it’s because the surgeons more comfortable doing it that way.

Thanks Jerz. I'm in MS, so it'll be through either Capital Ortho or MS Sports Medicine.

was the other thing that took a while. First week I was in a recliner. I sleep on my stomach so I had to learn to fall asleep sleeping on my back.

I don't think sleep was right for a couple months, but because of my shoulders I didn't sleep well before it, so not much tradeoff I guess.

In comment 14912551 pjcas18 said:

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was the other thing that took a while. First week I was in a recliner. I sleep on my stomach so I had to learn to fall asleep sleeping on my back. I don't think sleep was right for a couple months, but because of my shoulders I didn't sleep well before it, so not much tradeoff I guess.

Oh, hell. I'm a stomach sleeper. Gonna be awful.

torn rotator cuff, impingment, torn biscep. Rightarm and I am right handed.

I will tell you the worst thing if it happens to your dominant arm.

You will quickly find out that your opposite arm is shorter.

If it is your dominant arm start to practice wiping with your other arm. I wasn't an ambi-wiper and I would say that was the worse part. The other stuff you adapt quickly.

The surgery was a breeze and the rehab wasn't awful for me.

Has a good reputation. He’s known nationally.

I was told my tear is a full/thick tear, I have lived with it for years getting a cortizone injection every 3 months, but now with they are saying they may not allow me the cortizone shots because my immune system is not that great, I have chronic lipid pneumonia and have artificial discs in my back and am fused from C3-C7, so I also get epidural injections due to nerve damage and arthritis in there now. Without cortizone I will have to do something, I live in Northern Kentucky, 18 miles south of Cincinnati, any advice on treatment and where to get it? Mspine surgeries were when I still lived in Jersey, I get the epidurals at the Mayfield Clinic in Cincy. Thanks for listening.

Right Shoulder, I am right handed.

It's a cold therapy machine that pumps ice water to the affected area. Great for swelling and pain. I was ahead of schedule using it. One small hack, use frozen water bottles in the water cooler. Longer lasting and easier changeover than ice.
Ossur cold rush cryotherapy - ( New Window )

It's boring and monotonous, but be diligent. No shortcuts

In comment 14912573 Jerz44 said:

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Has a good reputation. He’s known nationally.

Thanks for the recommendation. I’m a (civil defense) attorney and deposed him as a treating physician once early in my career. It wasn’t an adverse situation with him but it was clear he was quite sharp.

It will be a positive memory to get you through the next few months of wiping lefty.

Yeah, the physical therapy and recovery are tedious and boring, but yeah, you have to do it.

I found that I have had chronic issues with that arm since the surgery -- so in some ways it was an improvement, but in other ways it wasn't. A physical therapist once quipped to me that there's no ache or pain that an orthopedic surgeon can't make worse. There's some truth to that.

my orthopedist is what I'd call "trigger happy" and he was recommended to me by a hockey teammate who is a physician and he warned me that their kids played youth soccer together and two kids bumped heads and one had a cut and he wanted to operate.

but reality is that's what I wanted. I had tried cortisone, PT, exercise, rest - even pain killers and he laid out the situation for me.

He said with the injury (everyone is different) we are talking about there is a chance that cortisone provides temporary relief. It does not fix the situation, it masks it, providing relief that is temporary without other intervention.

He then said PT has maybe a 50% chance at fixing the issue through development of the muscles surrounding the tear/fraying or impingement (not so much with an impingement - that's arthritic - bone on bone - that's more pain management/tolerance/quality of life)

and he said surgery has a 90% chance of fixing the issue long term. Obviously as a surgeon you may think he would have that opinion, but in my experience having lived through hell where I couldn't raise my arm even parallel to the ground without extreme pain, I couldn't hold a steering wheel longer than a few seconds without burning pain, I couldn't sleep more than a couple of hours without waking up in pain so bad I wished for death,I would have opted for surgery sooner if I understood this.

So, while your comment was very relatable to my situation, it's exactly what I liked about this Dr.

Anyway, just my experience.

Rehab sucks...but...its well worth it if your are physical. Being pain free is awesome!!!

In comment 14912684 pjcas18 said:

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my orthopedist is what I'd call "trigger happy" and he was recommended to me by a hockey teammate who is a physician and he warned me that their kids played youth soccer together and two kids bumped heads and one had a cut and he wanted to operate. but reality is that's what I wanted. I had tried cortisone, PT, exercise, rest - even pain killers and he laid out the situation for me. He said with the injury (everyone is different) we are talking about there is a chance that cortisone provides temporary relief. It does not fix the situation, it masks it, providing relief that is temporary without other intervention. He then said PT has maybe a 50% chance at fixing the issue through development of the muscles surrounding the tear/fraying or impingement (not so much with an impingement - that's arthritic - bone on bone - that's more pain management/tolerance/quality of life) and he said surgery has a 90% chance of fixing the issue long term. Obviously as a surgeon you may think he would have that opinion, but in my experience having lived through hell where I couldn't raise my arm even parallel to the ground without extreme pain, I couldn't hold a steering wheel longer than a few seconds without burning pain, I couldn't sleep more than a couple of hours without waking up in pain so bad I wished for death,I would have opted for surgery sooner if I understood this. So, while your comment was very relatable to my situation, it's exactly what I liked about this Dr. Anyway, just my experience.

My situation wasn't as bad as that, but it was getting worse, so I opted for the surgery. My doctor was Neil ElAttrache, who works on a lot of athletes. That was kind of trippy. He did a good job, I think. Some of my post-surgical issues are the result of other things, including aging disks and congenital shoulder peculiarities. If you are in that kind of pain, I can see why you'd opt for surgery. I guess if I have any advice, beyond just sharing my experience, it's to temper your expectations. Sometimes you don't get 100% relief. You solve some problems but stir up others. So you're better off, but not good as new.

Very helpful.

It’s really hard to lay flat for a few days. Got one for my shoulder surgery and made a huge difference. Also shoes without laces. Some mundane things are tough for a while! Good luck!

In comment 14912559 FranknWeezer said:

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In comment 14912551 pjcas18 said: Quote: was the other thing that took a while. First week I was in a recliner. I sleep on my stomach so I had to learn to fall asleep sleeping on my back. I don't think sleep was right for a couple months, but because of my shoulders I didn't sleep well before it, so not much tradeoff I guess. Oh, hell. I'm a stomach sleeper. Gonna be awful.

Yeah, sleep was my big issue as well.
I was in far less pain from the day of the surgery. I never took any pain killers, not even an ibuprofen, acetaminophen.
I'm a side sleeper, ugh.
You have to sleep upright for at least 2 weeks. The Doctors told me 4 to 6. But I could't take it anymore. I used a ton of pillows to prop me up on my other side and finally got some sleep. I wound up with a really bad flu, probably due to lack of sleep. So the first 4 - 6 weeks are miserable, not because of pain, or not being able to use your arm, that was all tolerable. Sleep was the massive issue.

I am extremely glad that I went through it.

PT for me was a breeze, by the folks above are right, you need to attack it.

For me, I was having trouble picking up my infant son at the time. Now, I roughhouse with him with no issues.

In comment 14912531 pjcas18 said:

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repaired in the past 5 years. On one I had an impingement, torn rotator cuff and a frayed labrum. The other was just torn rotator cuff and frayed labrum. Surgery is easy. For me it was out patient, tiny incision and they cut away fraying and stitch any tears. rehab was a pain. PT for a few months, but it took a while to get back to full strength. Maybe 6 months. PT was twice a week and I want to say an hour each visit.

I had a 100% tear in my supraspinatus. I agree, surgery was no big deal at all. Done by scope.

Also agree, rehab was hard. Range of motion achieved withing a few months or less. Full strength for me was not until 18 months later (judged by my serve in tennis). I did PT regularly, but what finally got me over the hump was throwing a football with my son every day for 15 - 30 minutes.

I've had 11 surgeries, 8 sports related. Shoulder was by far the hardest rehab.