Torn Rotator cuff

[forthefunofit94]

My question is how long after the surgery can I hope to get back to camping. It's just now the start of the season and I have my reservations through August.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Hubby (construction) was told to expect up to a year to fully heal. Slept almost 5 weeks in arm chair after surgery of left rotator in 2005, was hanging on by a thread he was told. Pain for him was unbelievable but he was careful to not overdo the pain killers. After 10 weeks caught him trying to lift our septic cover - loaded youngest still at home and he in RV and hit the road for 8 weeks, stopping everywhere to have him swim and kept adding laps every other day. What he called me some days is nobody's biz, believe me, but it worked as therapy together with other exercises four times a day had him do. There was no way I wanted them doing a repair on a repair after what we'd just gone through with him!!!

On his 6 month check up surgeon was thrilled with his ability of movement etc and said it was the swimming that did it.

September 2013 he needed to have his right arm done - surgeon went in and said he had 3 elastics broken beyond any repair!!! So he is stuck with the most pathetic casting for fish you've ever seen, but he's still catching so happy (LOL). Sad to watch him use his left hand to lift his right one above a certain level especially when he is naturally right handed to boot. We knew they'd not repaired it when he went straight to bed at home that night after bringing him home from the day surgery, but weren't confirm told until his clinic appointment a week plus afterwards. If anyone has a recommendation for a surgeon that's done a successful repair on someone with 3 strings/elastics (don't know the medical name for them all) please pm me the contact info as I'd love to get him more mobility back in his right arm. Initially he was told at 56 he was too old for the second surgery by his GP!

Everyone heals and reacts differently depending on the tear situation and pain threshold, as we've evidenced with some friends taking longer and some only a few days after surgery back at office work.

[forthefunofit94]

Well I'm 2 wks out. Therapist is still treating it like glass. No moving of the shoulder allowed. They had to clip my bicept too. Pain hasn't been bad. Hoping to get out for the 4th? Thanks for your insight & forgive the spelling. Left hand typing not fun.

[rkentzel]

X2

I bought a recliner specifically because of the surgery. As a side sleeper, I knew sleeping in a bed would be difficult (as well as the cat who liked to sleep on my shoulder). With the recliner, I could guarantee that I wouldn't roll over onto the injured shoulder. Slept in it for about 1-1/2 weeks.

X3 on the recliner it was the only way I could sleep and sleep well

[raindove]

DH is walking in the same shoes. They told him 6 weeks in a sling and 6 months to full recovery. A friend only had 2 wks in a sling and recovered much faster. DH has put this off for a couple of years. The torn part is now separated by several inches, which is what makes the recovery period longer. If you stress that repair post surgery, it will just tear again. Word to the wise, if you have a torn rotator cuff, get it repaired sooner rather than later.

[toedtoes]

tomkaren13 wrote:
Another thought - I found that right after surgery sleeping in a recliner helped getting enough sleep. No recliner a stack of pillows.

X2

I bought a recliner specifically because of the surgery. As a side sleeper, I knew sleeping in a bed would be difficult (as well as the cat who liked to sleep on my shoulder). With the recliner, I could guarantee that I wouldn't roll over onto the injured shoulder. Slept in it for about 1-1/2 weeks.

[tomkaren13]

Another thought - I found that right after surgery sleeping in a recliner helped getting enough sleep. No recliner a stack of pillows.

[Gjac]

It really depends on the type of injury you have. I tore both shoulders the first in 2003 the second in 2009. My tears were precipitated by taking antibiotics for diverticulitis. I did not know at the time but Cipro and other antibiotics will soften your joints and tendons and cause tears when load is applied. They said they would try to do the operation arthroscopicly but could not so I have 4 in scars on top of both shoulders and 4 Titanium molly bolts pinning the cuff to the bone. It took me a year and a half to rehab each shoulders to get the same strength as before. I went to the gym 3 times a week and still do all the exercises that I was given to do. I could camp and do normal stuff after several mos. Stretching is also important to get your range of motion back.

[Lexicon7]

Texan has great advice. I'm 2 months out from right shoulder and was told there was only so much they could do it was looking so bad in there. Also right handed and have an exceptional PT.

This is the order of the day:
1. Do not blow it or make that critical mistake!

2. Follow PT to the T and yes, push it and double up but take stock of every moment how it is feeling in there. Mine actually started to feel good when pushed but be hyper aware of the pain barrier and stay on it but out of there.

3. Refer to rule number ONE! If somebody tosses you a baseball just duck!
If you pick one up and they expect you to throw it back... walk it back!!!

I believe the entire experience is making me a stronger man and I am now doing exercises on both sides they are so very effective! Working hard on my abs too!

[toedtoes]

I had a complete rupture of the rotary cuff and had laproscopic surgery. I was out of work for two weeks, could have gone back in one (office job).

For me, the pain was minimal. I was off pain meds by day 3 and probably could have skipped them on day 2. I wore the arm brace for 3 days only. The doctor indicated that on day 3 when I took the brace off, my arm would just hang - I found I could move it from the elbow down, but I didn't push it.

I had mine in October, so no camping afterwards, but I think I would have been pushing things if I had tried it within the first 3 months (with the TT I had at the time - I think I'd have been OK sooner with the clipper). I was driving by day 4, but had to move my whole torso around to see behind me, etc. for a couple months. Lifting and carrying was minimal with that arm for several months. Reaching overhead was difficult and grabbing something, even a piece of paper, from overhead was impossible for about 8 months.

Everyone handles surgery, etc., differently. I know that I recover quickly (much to my friend's frustration - she had taken the day off work to help me - I was fully recovered from the surgery within 2 hours). My therapy did not consist of painful or "aggressive" exercises, but rather basic stretching exercises using balls, weight bars, etc. After a year, I had 98% of my range of movement back - even after 3 years, trying to reach my middle back by bending my arm behind me (rather than over the shoulder) is awkward and I can't quite get there. I do get an ache when the weather gets cold.

[rkentzel]

To me therapy was the worst. My doc told the therapy department aggressive therapy and it was.

[forthefunofit94]

Thanks for all the reply's. This is our slow time with work and Karen will have about two weeks off to assist. That is why I am doing this now. I'm holding out hope that 5 weeks after surgery, we can still keep our vacation/anniversary week. Only tie will tell.

[Thunder_Mountai]

I too was faced with a dilemma of when to have rotator cuff surgery. Workman's comp wanted me to have the surgery in September, but that would have ruined our fall Utah RV trip. Decided to have it done in the dead of winter after giving the wife some snow plow driving lessons.

I had the rotator cuff repaired in mid January 2010. I agree with others here. The first week or so is pure hell. I've got a pretty high pain threshold, but I have to admit I was hitting the narcotics pretty hard the first week. Knee replacement was a walk in the park compared to the rotator cuff. Mine was a complete tear of the rotator as opposed to a partial.

The worst part was having to live with that darn restraint that holds your arm across the chest. It was especially bad at night because I'm a belly sleeper.

I'm healthy and vigorous and had an amazing physical therapist who was a friend based out of our health club. I too pushed as hard as I could. I had full range of motion in about 7-8 weeks. Full strength returned about four months with aggressive weight training.

I was driving one armed in about three weeks, but the doctor wouldn't release me to take the MH out until 10 weeks. It was the driving that was the issue, but all the lifting, tugging, pulling, etc. at sometimes awkward angles associated with RVing.

If I were you, I would wait until RVing season is over if you can live with the pain.

[Gonzo42]

I have had both side ripped because of bicyle crashes. I never had the surgeries. However, I now participate regularly in Triathlon races. I agree with the Texan about vigorous exercises to the point of pain. I can now swim for an hour doing laps in the pool, and that is where I had the most pain. My condidtion is not perfect, but I do OK.

DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU GIVE UP. As Nietzche said, "That which does not kill me makes me stronger."

[lj2654]

I haven't had this surgery but wife has and has to have it again. She did ok after about three weeks with minimal use but no way could she back an RV or fifth wheel in a spot that soon.