Rotator cuff surgery

[pumamac]

Tore my left rotator cuff about 6 months ago physical therapy helped somewhat but looks like I’m headed to surgery.I had my one hip replaced a few years ago and that was easy . I’ve heard that the recovery is both long and painful .looking for advice from those that have gone through the procedure.looking to do it soon so I can recover for next spring

[rclark1]

Biggest question is it a replacement or repair? Replacement is very tough

[FSHRMN1010]

The rehab and care is everything. Good luck on a fast recovery.

[n2ratfishin]

A lot will depend on what they find when they get in there. Plan on at least 6 weeks sleeping in a recliner. Follow your doc and PT's instruction. Plan on PT two or three times a week, in reality you'll be better off doing the exercises daily. Seems like I did them several times a day for months after a total tear procedure.

IMO next spring is optimistic if you don't even have a date scheduled for repair.

[blakesfav]

Mine didn't seem to be all that painful. Took me a year until I could reach into the back seat of my truck without hurting. Seems like there is a wide range of how much pain people have with rotator cuff repair.

[tn-bee]

Tough surgery. Been there, done that, both shoulders. Don't expect to be close to 100% for a year.

[darryl1966]

I had open repair on both shoulders , my right was not bad , I was fishing a little in about 6 weeks , easy underhanded cast , my left was a terrible tear , full thickness tear , took months to get back to doing much with my left arm especially elevated arm

[Charles Prestridge]

Everyone is different. I had rotator cuff and bicep muscle reattached.

My bicep muscle was not fully detached, so that was a benefit. Surgeon was able to cleanly cut bicep and reattach.

My surgery was May 2022, when I was 57 years old.

My surgery was a great success and recovery was very doable. I only took pain pills for one-week, because I hate the way they make me feel and I could deal with the pain.

My rehab was 6-weeks in a sling (except when doing rehab), then about 4 weeks with not lifting too much. Then back to doing what I could. After 3 months, I was 90 percent healed and had almost full mobility.

I followed Doctors orders and did rehab exercises everyday.

I used ice machine for the 1st (3) weeks anytime I was sitting down.

I used rope/pulley every few hours each day (at home) - starting 3 days after surgery. Following rehab plan.

The rope/pulley helped regain range of motion.

I went to rehab 2 days/week and did home rehab everyday.

I went back to work after 3 weeks, wearing sling. I would do my rehab exercises every hour even at work.

Good luck. I hope your surgery is as successful as mine.

[fishingram24]

Had a repair job done 15 years ago and was back at work in 2 weeks but stayed in the office for several weeks before I went back outside. Rehab was relatively painless for me and took several months. After a while it was the more you use it the faster the recovery. Had mine done the heat of summer so I'd not want to be on the water as bad.

[PickensTJ]

I had mine repaired. Not the most enjoyable thing but I would do it again tomorrow. Get your mind right. Settle these three things beforehand: 1) It is going to hurt. 2) I am going to have to work hard through the pain to do physical therapy. 3) I will not whine about 1 or 2. It literally gave me a pain free life back. Do the physical therapy!!! Take your pain meds before PT so you can do the PT as designed.

[Muleheaded]

Had my left rotator cuff repaired in 2021. Had a great surgeon and physical therapist and religiously did the rehab exercises. Even with all that going going for me, like others have said, took nearly a full year before I was ready to fish. The good news is I have about 95% range of rotation now. I’m happy with the results. Good luck.

[ninethree]

I had surgery May 9. 80% tear in cuff, torn bicep, two torn tendons two bone spurs plus cut out arthritis. My dr did not give pain meds just two advil then two tylenol every three hours. My bicep repair really hurt most. About 5 days in terrible pain. I was in a sling 4 weeks before therapy. Please do as dr directs and do therapy. you must stretch to get motion going. It will hurt. I did therapy at rehab center now I have hired a pt to get strength back you will lose a lot of strength while in sling. I now have minimal pain most of motion now working on strength. Do as they say. You will need a good recliner first couple weeks. Inquire about what sling you will use my dr used the cheap sling that hung down not the one that had wedge. Also use the ice machine it will help. Your should be easier than mine especially if not big tear.

[250bassFL]

I hope surgery goes well and you have a speedy and full recovery. My third right shoulder surgery was a complete tear repair of the rotator cuff with a bicep tendon tear relocate and reattach. It didn't end well. Everything is different for everyone. I hope you are in the group of many and have a good full recovery with it.

[Okie Poke]

They say shoulder surgery is probably the toughest body part surgery there is. Every bit of a full year for recovery time. GLTY!

[Big Al]

Wishing you the best Tom, my son is going through the same thing. They also found a torn bicep. Dr told him to stop PT, it's only making it worse. He's waiting on surgery also.

[n2ratfishin]

My doc did not recommend repairing my bicep tendon at my age. He said it was not needed. I asked him to repair it if possible anyway. I should have listened to the doc on that one LOL.

I have full range of motion. Next month I’m scheduled to have a partial wrist fusion and carpel tunnel release on the other end of my right arm. Praying it’s as successful as my right shoulder surgery.

Now, if we could only get younger guys to listen. I hopped out of boats, played tackle football, fished all day with no shirt or sunblock, etc…etc… it’s all good until it catches up and turns you into a grumpy old man.

[mean_dean]

I had my bicep tendon, rotator cuff, and slap tendon repaired June of 2023, still not 100% but close. I was having issues getting my arm behind me to the point my physical therapist thought the joint might be frozen. I found a chiropractor that has an acoustic sound wave therapy machine, and after one treatment it was amazing how far I could get my arm behind me. Before I could barely touch the outside of my gluteus, after that first treatment I could get my hand into the small of my back. 8 treatments later and my right arm goes just as high behind my back as my left one. Still working on strengthening my shoulder and endurance, I'm good for short periods of activity but will soon start aching if used too much. Oddly fishing doesn't impact it much, I cast with my right arm/hand.

Acoustic Sound Wave Therapy | Niva Health

[DLTJR]

It's all about the severity, the surgeon, and the therapy. I had a complete reverse left shoulder replacement in Sept of 22. Lots of folk in therapy for repaired rotator cuffs, tendons, biceps, etc. The recovery time on all the folk I met varied based on the severity of the repair. Nothing common in their pain, recovery time, etc. Just be diligent in you therapy. I've had a total hip, total knee, and total reverse shoulder replacements. Hip was the easiest followed by the shoulder and then knee. Had very little pain with the hip and shoulder. The knee was tough. I have no rotator cuff in my left shoulder since it was a reverse procedure. I wish you the best.

[Cover Dog]

Biggest question is it a replacement or repair? Replacement is very tough

I had arthroscopic rotator cuff repair done in 2007 to my left shoulder, I found it a tough recovery. Since then I have had 3, total reverse shoulder replacements. First one in 2019 to the right shoulder recovery is a piece of cake compared to rotator recovery. You no longer use your rotator cuff muscle but now use your deltoid muscle. Second total reverse shoulder replacement in 2021 to my left shoulder, which had the previous rotator surgery. Again no post op pain and a breeze to recovery.

In March of 2022 I slipped on black ice and shattered the right shoulder replacement that was done in 2019. Only pain I had was the 2 week wait to get parts and a cadaver bone if needed. No cadaver bone was needed, my bone was wired together and now I have a titanium rod that goes through the bone almost to my elbow. In every replacement operation I was in at 7am and out by 2pm. With not enough pain to even take pain meds. PT is very important to get back as close to 100% as possible. As all ready stated, get ready to get cozy with a good recliner. I bought an electric one, no lever to pull.

Right shoulder gets sore after casting for Muskies more then a couple of hours, that’s when I start trollling.