Any one had arthroscopic surgery for a rotator cuff tear?

[Stephen Tashiro]

Anyone had arthroscopic surgery for a rotator cuff tear ( i.e. a sore shoulder)? How one-handed were you in the first weeks following it?

[Eddie Watkins]

I had the surgery 10/22/2010. My arm was in a sling for about 2 weeks and I had exercise chair I rented that moved my shoulder. The arm was totally useless during that period. After that I went to physical therapy three times a week for 4 weeks and each week the movement got better but still could not use the arm for much other than minor stuff. Also started doing daily exercises with really light weight or the rubber strap I was given to strengthen the shoulder. I went back to the doctor on 12/6/2010 and was told to use it as much as I wanted but to not lift anything with the arm extended away from my body or heavier than 30#. The doctor told me it would be healed in about 6 months after the surgery where I could do anything my arm would allow. My shoulder never hurt and I followed the instructions to the letter. I was told several times my recovery was textbook but even still I am working on rebuilding the strength. It gets sore on occasion when I overdo it but I have full range of motion comparable to my other arm and no pain other than the occasional soreness from overworking it.
A friend of mine had the surgery before I had mine and had gone back to work too soon and has had nothing but problems. Listen to your doctor.

[David G Baker]

Following the doctors and therapists instructions to he letter is critical, not doing so will cost you dearly. Exercising as instructed is the single most important thing in recovering full usage of your arm. I still do the exercises I was told to do after knee arthroscopic surgery that I had over twenty years ago. I now have frozen shoulder that many diabetics have and may eventually need surgery but until I do I use my chiropractor to break it loose, very painfully, every two weeks.

[John Pratt]

+1 on listening to the doc and therapists. I had mine done for a full thinkness tear. During the recovery period I was a little lazy with the rehab and exercises. I ended up having to go back through the surgery all over again due to frozen shoulder syndrome. The rehab this time was very painful, but I now have 80% range of motion back. The physcial therapy is painful, but if you want full use back, you have to dedicate yourself to it and understand it takes time.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Twice on the same shoulder, plus PT.

When the other shoulder went bad, they decide on just PT.

The just PT shoulder works as well as one that had surgery.

[David G Baker]

I found that it is best to start with PT if the damage isn't bad. My chiropractor has saved me from surgery several times. A second opinion from a non-biased doctor is also a good idea if it is possible.

[Stephen Tashiro]

My shoulder is only slightly sore. PT did not improved it and this justified an MRI. The MRI says I have enough of a tear to justify surgery. What I'm most curious about is how one-handed you must be for the one or two weeks after surgery. I can see that you wouldn't want to do any motion that raised your arm or moved your shoulder joint around, but can you hold light objects like a cup or piece of paper with the hand of the operated shoulder?

[Ron Jones near Indy]

My wife has had this 3 times. Based on her experience, I wouldn't count on movement, even paper or cup, for at least 2 weeks. Holding it will not be the issue--moving it will be.

[Ken Kimbrell]

Injured mine about ten years ago and went with the PT option. Once the PT was finished I never experienced any problems at all, but that eventually got me in trouble because it worked so well that I forgot to take that into account when starting a new workout routine at the gym... over extended and re-injured the shoulder.
More PT fixed it up once again.

As others have already mentioned, which ever way you go, following instructions and taking enough time to heal is critical... and, if at some point in the future you start doing activities that fully extend the arm and shoulder be sure to remember that old injury because there may be a price to pay if you don't.

[Luc Vincent]

I had torn my rotator cuff and went to my chiropractor first, mostly because I thought it was just out of place or something. He did a new type of laser treatment on it twice a week for about 2 months with some exercises afterwards to get it back to strength. I can now use my shoulder fully and have no pain. The laser tool he used looked similar to an ultrasound wand and it breaks up all the calcium deposits in the injured tissue and also increases circulation again and allows the shoulder to heal naturally. It was far better than surgery.

[Eddie Watkins]

Interesting thing about the PT, when I originally went to the Dr both shoulders were causing me problems and the ct scan indicated the left shoulder was worse. The Dr sent me to PT first and the left shoulder improved to the point surgery was not required and, in fact, I have no problems with it. The right shoulder never got better and I had to have the surgery. It is also healing well but, given a choice, I'd try the PT first.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

I went almost one year to the week with my shoulder killing me, went through physical therapy for a couple of months, they thought it was just a sore, strained, or just need to be loosened up . . . ? When they got in there there there was indeed an tear in my rotator cuff, then the doctor said, he could not understand how I was able to put up with the pain for as long as I did.

Long store short, I hurt so much less after my surgery that it was unbelievabel, but I started rotating (swinging) my arm like they show me in the hospital PT after surgery as soon as I got home. I won't say surgery was fun, but I sure wish I had done it a year earlier.

"Zelma"