Posted: 9/12/2012 7:00:18 PM EDT
| I fell on my left shoulder & detached my Rotator Cuff, having surgery in a couple weeks, Dr said up to 16 months rehab, anyone have any experience with this surgery? |
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No rotator cuff issues but had a Bankhart repair 20+ years ago, that is to stop the shoulder from falling out of the joint. Took about a full year to get back to full duty as a firefighter. Now with new technology I know a girl that had the same surgery and she was told totally back to all things in 6 months. In a few years I get to have a shoulder replacement.
From what I heard on rotator cuff surgery is pretty easy now, 16 months seems like a long time. Unless you are a pro baseball pitcher. |
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Had it done a few years ago. Hurts a bit still if I hold my arm in an odd way. Get a nice couch ready because that is where you will sleep for 2 weeks or more. I also hope you have a fairly high pain threshold. I have full range of motion, but strength never came fully back, maybe 90%. |
| I've been putting off surgery for as long as possible - completely destroyed my left shoulder in a dislocation about a decade ago. I know a guy who had a dislocation not unlike mine, and had the surgeries to repair his (including the cuff tear), and he has zero problems. His recommendation was to make sure and do ALL the rehab regimen and stretch regularly as instructed afterwards. This guy lifts weights and does Triathlons for fun. |
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I had the end of my collarbone cut off due to a mis-aligned broken collarbone. My doctor told me the recovery was similar to rotator cuff recovery. Like ClayP said, I had passive motion in 4 weeks, and was allowed to do limited active motion after 6 weeks. It's now been 5 months, and I'm almost at full range of motion, and about halfway to full strength/weight. I'm only limited in the "flap like a duck" movement, but it's still annoying.
You have to be pretty dedicated with going to physical therapy, and doing therapy on your own at home on the days you don't have therapy. Once your therapy prescription ends, force yourself to keep doing weights and working on stretching the motion of the joint. That's where I have problems - it's hard to remember to do them when I don't have my PT nagging at me twice a week. 
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Physical Therapist here. Depending on the size of the tear it can take from 9 to 18 weeks to rehab. Following a rehab prtocol of 6,6,6....ie. 6 wks of passive range of motion followed by 6 wks of active assist range of motion with isometric strengthening then 6 wks of active range of motion and functional strengthening. This does not mean that you will be back to 100% after 18 wks, it means that you could return to a somewhat physical job with minimal restrictions. It can take 6 to 12 months before you feels close to that 100% and no pain.
The first 2 wks after surgery are hell. Shoulder and RTC repair tend to be some of the most painful surgeries that I work with. My recommendation would to get the surgery done and not wait to long. You have a period of time before the muscle starts to atrophy and actually become fatty. Once this happens the RTC can still be re attached but the outcomes are not as good. Pain still a factor and never having a full return of strength. |
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for anyone that is going to undergo rotator cuff surgery request your surgeon inject PRP (platelet rich plasma) into the repair. It accelerates the healing and recovery process - my patients seem to recover much more quickly than those who did not receive PRP according to the independent physical therapists who are working in this area |