The arm pain also seems to continue to get worse as time goes on even though I stopped wearing the sling about 4 weeks ago. . Increasing your familiarity with therapy methods youll be using after surgery. While in PT, your rehab is commonly divided into several distinct phases: Early on after surgery, the main goal of therapy is to slowly advance your shoulders range of motion while protecting the surgical repair. The first stage of recovery may last up to 6 weeks after surgery. Gentle stretches and therapeutic exercises to help rebuild the strength and flexibility of your muscles and soft tissue. Physical Therapy Recognized as One of the Best Ways to Treat Lower Back Pain, Surgery is Not Your Only Option for Neck Pain Treatment, Treatments for a sore neck and back after an auto accident, Help Relieve Neck Pain at Home with these Three Simple Stretches, Understanding the Symptoms of Chronic Shoulder Pain, Nonsurgical Treatments for Chronic Shoulder Pain, Five causes of wrist pain when bending the wrist. In this phase, the focus is to reduce shoulder pain and get your arm moving without compromising the repair. By the way, I'm 66 and the only difference I can see between my progress and that of others here is that I want to get better and am prepared to work at it, rather than spend valuable PT time writing about how much pain I'm in. While only. I am 66. One thing I noticed is my neck was always out. 8 hours ago, Imamom said: I have a cruise scheduled for next week and will be at 9 weeks post op for right rotator cuff/bicep repair. It is quite normal for your shoulder to be a little more sore when you stop using your sling, as you are asking it to work against gravity by itself for the first time since your operation. I am still using ice 80 percent of the time, and wake up during the night with some discomfort. I feel the shoulder itself is recovering more or less on schedule with a usual amount pain and a slowly progressing increase in mobility, range of motion and strength from what I can ascertain. 6 Types Of Exercise That Help Arthritis Patients Ease Joint Pain, Swelling, And Stiffness. While genetics play a factor and some people may recover quickly despite their age, patient age may correlate to slowed recovery time. help. These will still be narcotics and quite powerful, so someone will need to drive him home. While sleeping, rest a pillow under the arm to support the shoulder. I think the doctor you choose makes all the difference on recovery. Comparing ages and levels of pain is not going to get you through this surgery, which, according to my surgeon is one of the most painfulprocedures post op you can have. If you have a job that requires a lot of pushing, pulling, or lifting with your . I hope, if I need surgery, I will do as well as you. You will be told not to actively move your arm for multiple weeks. Each exercise should be completed between 8-12 times (or repetitions) for 3 to 4 sets. Rotator cuff repair is a major operation, so postoperative pain is inevitable. You may have shoulder pain and arm weakness. as being in breach of those terms. (732) 352-9270, (Union Medical Park) Like many guys on this thread he needs to toughen up and get on with it. I first had cuffsurgery to my left shoulder in October last year and am now totallypain free, which is just the best thing in the world compared to the pain before the op. "But as you begin physical therapy, new pains can develop," says Dr. Rue. Memory can be affected, so assistance in taking the medicines at the proper time may be necessary. Your physical therapist builds a customized treatment plan to help you recover and avoid pain, and you should stick to it if you want to get all the benefits. I have good days and bad days and I thought at nearly 3 months post-surgery now that I would be much further ahead in my recovery. Posted The biggest change now that 6 weeks have passed since your surgery is that you can move your operated arm by itself. Read our editorial policy. Larger tears tend to take around six months to heal, and severe tears may take anywhere from 6-12 months to fully heal. Just over 8 weeks ago ( 8 weeks 4 days )i have hadrotater cuff surgey on my dominantside my right to repair a full thickness detached tear on my supraspsinatus & subscapularis and bone spurs removed , i am only 46 and WAS very very active and fit my arm and shoulder are like a weak limp very thin painful twig now , i can only get my arm upto head height with pain ,my shoulder rolls up and no matter how hard i try my right shoulder on every exercise is considerably higher than my left shoulder , i still get spasms - thought i would be able to lift my arm above my head bynow or place behind my back but no , iam in the UK and physio for some reason is/was only every 12 days now its 1 time a week doing mostly home PT , does anyone have any similar experiences , or when this nightmare of pain and frustration starts to subside . Rotator Cuff Tears - Surgical Repair Options. Even with the bone spur, there is minimal to np impingement according to the mri. "We have people experiment with them both to see which helps more . I did also have a small lipoma removed from the back of my arm just below my tricep (during my rotator cuff surgery), but I doubt this has anything to do with the pain. The precise amount of time needed to be off from work after rotator cuff surgery can vary from 3-8 months. 8 Weeks After Rotator Cuff Surgery. It's estimated that U.S. surgeons perform more than 460,000 rotator cuff surgeries per year. Stability, Mobility And Strength: Reasons To Incorporate Multiplanar Pressing. With physical therapy that involves stretching and strengthening exercises, you can slowly restore the shoulder's function. I just had a meeting with my surgeon . Registered in England and Wales. I have same problem 8 weeks out of rotator cuff surgery my hand is swelled and fingers very painful shoulder is coming on fine and hope I can get back to work end of January but I'm really worried about my hand as I can't make a fist or move it without pain is it possible for doctor to drain fluid from hand so I can return to work thanks KA Perhaps being in a sling for 6 weeks caused these already injured tendons to get inflamed even more than they were and is what started to cause this hot pain going down my arm to my wrist. Bone spurs (extra bone growth at the ends of bones) in the area may also need to be removed depending on the situation. In most instances, your arm will be put in a sling to limit movement and stress on the area before you are discharged from the surgical center. It is responsible for carrying out a number of basic arm movements. 9 weeks after rotator cuff surgery. Arthroscopic surgery involves the surgeon making small cuts in the skin. In the first two to eight weeks after surgery, you'll limit movement, wear a sling, and work with a PT on passive stretching. Request an Appointment: 12 weeks and beyond For those of you that are athletically inclined, most patients who have rotator cuff repairs are able to return to sports and recreational activities within 4 to 6 months after surgery. I feel inspired by your words and will take them to heart. Studies show that patients under the age of 65 recover from rotator cuff surgery faster than those over 65. During the healing process the repaired . The decreased trauma caused by arthroscopic surgery can translate into faster recovery times. This arm pain starts at about 2 inches below the shoulder and is somewhat separate in a way. Soft tissue massage and icing may also be utilized to alleviate the post-operative soreness and swelling that normally occurs. As time progresses, the PT will have the patient switch from narcotics to over the counter medicines, such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aleve, and so on. Around 7 to 8 weeks most patients begin strengthening exercises using weights or resisted bands. If there are conflicting instructions from your doctor and therapist, please meet your doctor to clarify. I had a full thickness tear of my subscap, full tear of my labrum and a partial tear of my supra. This protocol is designed for the patient following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. paintomuch277541 outside of the physical therapy clinic. So, You Found Out Your Teenager Is Sexually Active: What Now? 2016;102(1):20-28. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2015.08.003, Edwards PK, Ebert JR, Littlewood C, Ackland T, Wang A. Its estimated that U.S. surgeons perform more than, . I do know I have a bone spur on my acromion bone, the Dr calls it "thickening". Total recovery and rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery take approximately 22 weeks. over a year ago. I do a pedulam swing (very tine circles) and it feels like my shoulder is going to dislocate. . Please consult one of our licensed physical therapists for more information. This can happen as a result of wear and tear over time or after a traumatic injury. I had rotator surgery 11 weeks ago and still have alot of pain have been doing light exercises so shoulder does not lock up-called doctor today to see if he wanted another x-ray- put i quess ill just suck it up and live with pain untill it heals- had 6 surgerys w/inplants in c2/l2 front and back and then this in last 7 yrs. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. However, physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery isn't designed to be painful. I seem to have turned a corner where the pain is not bad and Im able to sleep, drive, & do many things. They are trained in this field and are professional as long as they work closely with your surgeon.With the excercises I have found a need to push thru so as to maintain range which is very painful and takes hrs to settle even now. Your rotator cuffs are vital to your ability to use your shoulders and arms for a wide range of activities. I know this post is 3 years old but I came across it and I feel hope. More and more is needed to maintain that good feeling. Pain is subjective and no one can tell you exactly how long you will be in pain after your surgery, but what you can rely on is the fact that there will be some amount of pain for at least a few days. This sling stops your arm from moving. All the best ;-), I'm 9 weeks post op and having the same symptoms, so I would assume that this is normal for all of us. 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