Rotator Cuff Surgery recovery

[MtnGoat]

A week ago I had Rotator Cuff Surgery on my left Shoulder, I also had my biceps "fixed". The Bicep had some "stressed" tendons and the Doc "scraped" the damaged area. My rotator cuff had a "major" (Doc Said after the surgery) tear along the supraspinatus muscle of the cuff. The Docs did Arthroscopic repair on both sites. I had one Doc on the supraspinatus muscle and another on my Biscep.

What I'm looking for is input on revocery. Like what to expect during PT and what you did to "speed up" your personal recovery time. What worked for you during your first 2-4 weeks of "self" PT at home, or didn't. What sucks during PT, ETC.

Like I told the Doc, I want the surgery ASAP. So I can be ready to deploy by within 6 months or so. I know that I can't lift anything for 3 Months or so, and nothing over 50 lb. for at least 5-6 Months from now.

Thanks for any of your commits.

VG

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

What I'm looking for is input on revocery. Like what to expect during PT and what you did to "speed up" your personal recovery time.

Thanks for any of your commits.

VG

Something I'm very familiar with……

There is no “Speedy” recovery. You can do damage recovering too quickly or trying to do too much. Go very slow and do not lift anything over 16oz using the left arm. Do exactly what the doctor says and no more!

(I got hit from behind coming out the back of a 141 from 15,000 feet. The strike dislocated my left shoulder. I could not re-locate the shoulder in free fall. I opened the PC-3 and the opening shock did considerable damage. I was operated at Womack. The doc’s placed a 2 ½ inch screw in my shoulder with a lot of other cutting and sewing. It took a year to recover, I stayed on the Team, but I was lucky, I healed very well, hell I was only 26 I think.)

Go slow and enjoy the time off……. Read a lot.

TS
BTW, I've been operated on the same shoulder three times now.... once at 16, second at 26 third time in my 40's.
I've yet to understand what my limits are.............

[MtnGoat]

TS
Thanks for the input.

I know its slow and there no "Speedy" recovery. Just wishful thinking I guess. I know this week that the PT DOC has me doing "movement "kill" me at times. Sleeping at night is like being on Patrol... 3hrs at most. Cat naps though out the day.

Don't lift anything over 16oz using the left arm. Hell I can Barely pick up my laptop with two hands.

Long road and a short time to get there.

Thanks - VG

[Warrior-Mentor]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Something I'm very familiar with……
I got hit from behind coming out the back of a 141 from 15,000 feet. The strike dislocated my left shoulder. I could not re-locate the shoulder in free fall. I opened the PC-3 and the opening shock did considerable damage.

Sounds familiar...

Was rolling a "student" over in free fall last week and heard a loud pop in my left shoulder. Saw stars and instinctively let go and pulled the arm in to protected it. Wasn't sure if it was in or out. Opened up and checked it out under canopy and it was back in socket. Sounds like mine was no where near as bad as your TS. Have had it do a couple "pop-out, pop-right-back-in's" over the weekend...enough to get my attention. Being hard headed..my inclination is to give it a couple weeks to heal on its own.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor

Sounds familiar...

Was rolling a "student" over in free fall last week and heard a loud pop in my left shoulder. Saw stars and instinctively let go and pulled the arm in to protected it. Wasn't sure if it was in or out. Opened up and checked it out under canopy and it was back in socket. Sounds like mine was no where near as bad as your TS. Have had it do a couple "pop-out, pop-right-back-in's" over the weekend...enough to get my attention. Being hard headed..my inclination is to give it a couple weeks to heal on its own.

See the Doc.

This stuff you ignored or gutted-out adds up as you age and will eventually make you wish you had taken care of it.

Not to mention, it documents the injury for your eventual service connected retirement claims.

I ignored mine. I wish I had not.

TR

[Warrior-Mentor]

Thanks TR.

[Roguish Lawyer]

Timely thread. I'm having an MRI on my right shoulder (and also right knee) this afternoon . . .

[MtnGoat]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

See the Doc.
Not to mention, it documents the injury for your eventual service connected retirement claims.

I ignored mine. I wish I had not.

TR

This will be a Quote for the Tread! Ditto!

I injured mine climbing rope last January. Rope was a bit wet, lost my footing. Caught myself with my arms. Continued PT that day and week I think.

I didn't go to the TMC right off, I did the Medic thing. Three month no PT. Finial in June I did the TMC trip, first PT just gave me 2-3 month no PT profile. I finial in Oct/Nov I got a PA (18D) in Nov that sent me to PT EVAL. He told me you'll go through the motions for about 6-weeks, Then you'll get a MRI after that.

Which did happen, but I had Christmas Break. Then in February I got me MRI, and then finial sat down with an Orth Doc in Mar. I told him I want Surgery ASAP.

Look for any SF guy out there that my have injured any joint, leg, shoulder. Go to the TMC get checked and get into your records. Get checked!!

Its not that bad, well mine isn't/wasn't. No sleep is the biggest thing for the first week so far. Some good drugs.

I'm learning Arabic while I'm at home. So that's a plus, just hate the AKO Rosette Stone. You need the books, I feel. Bought me Tell Me More program this weekend, so I'll see how that works out.

Warrior-Mentor get it checked out, go to the TMC at YPG and get it recorded.

[SF18C]

D...no advice other than hang in there and take it slow.

This summer I'll open your beer bottles for ya'. I wouldn't want you to set back that recovery time straining to open a Corona!