Anyone have rotator cuff surgery?

[brutal]

I tore mine some years ago while white water kayaking. Couldn't sleep on my side or lift my arm up past my shoulder for close to a year. Didn't get surgery, just sucked it up and it healed on its own in about a year and a half or so. The things you did back in the day when you were broke and didn't have insurance.

I've done that on many injuries even through I've always had good insurance. Just hate going to the doc.

Healing is much easier when you're younger for sure. This thing wasn't going away and even the confident "I can PT a near full thickness tear to 90%" guy admitted defeat. Mine got progressively worse until I couldn't tolerate the near constant pain and affect on my sleep. I suppose not easing up on it didn't help...

[flogger]

I had an acquaintance years ago in the Denver area homebuilding industry who had "the worst" rotator cuff story possible. Harold 'the hook' was missing his left arm from above the elbow and was fitted with a basic clamp/hook prosthetic mounted with a series of straps around his right shoulder. He ended up needing cuff surgery on his right arm which left him completely helpless during recovery.

[buffalobo]

I had an acquaintance years ago in the Denver area homebuilding industry who had "the worst" rotator cuff story possible. Harold 'the hook' was missing his left arm from above the elbow and was fitted with a basic clamp/hook prosthetic mounted with a series of straps around his right shoulder. He ended up needing cuff surgery on his right arm which left him completely helpless during recovery.

Harold "the hook", superintendent for Melody homes for many years?

If same person he was a good guy, tough ol bastard.

If you're unarmed, you are a victim

[flogger]

Thats him! You would never forget him if you met him. Spoke at about 7 volume all the time. He was a slave driver, his superintendents said he would use his hook to run against the walls and base boards to make sure the joints were smooth. Your right, he was a good guy.

[Bailey Guns]

Had both of them done. Both injuries resulted from falls. Complete tear on the left, partial but nearly complete on the right. Also had to have right bicep reattached surgically.

The first step is probably imaging just to be sure what you're dealing with. The joint may need some general cleanup as well...mine did. After that, the surgery is no big deal. It's the rehab. Like has been mentioned your shoulder will likely be immobilized for several weeks. Then it's PT and rehab. Do it religiously. Ultimately, both my shoulders are as good as new post surgery. I had issues with scar tissue in both after surgery. I hit a wall in PT and both times it was scar tissue build up. Doc said I was just prone to it. The left shoulder required a 2nd surgery to remove it. The right required a 'manipulation'. The put you under and move your shoulder to it's limits to break/tear up the scar tissue. After I woke up from the manipulation I literally walked across the clinic parking lot to the PT place and did my PT. It took 19 months after surgery to get back to work after the first injury. It 'only' took a year the second time. It's a long process but was definitely worth it to me.

[Robb]

I head in for a referral this Wed, after that an MRI. I'll let you all know what the verdict is.

[flogger]

Good luck! Pain and lack of sleep suck.

[rondog]

Many years ago I found out through an MRI that the acromion bones in both my shoulders had never formed correctly, which made both of my shoulders weak. Explained a lot about my youth, inability to throw or climb worth a shit, pushups, pullups, arm wrestling, etc. Fast forward, got a "full thickness tear" of my right rotator cuff working for Home Depot. Just ripped it completely. Ow. Got it fixed, and doc removed that deformed bone too. Funny, I don't recall the recovery being that bad. First visit to PT the therapist asked how high could I raise my arm, so I swung it up and pointed at the ceiling, and he just about shit. My range-of-motion was freakish for the surgery I'd had, blew his mind. So anyway, I healed up fine and pretty quick, don't ask me how or why. I did all the PT, it just wasn't that bad for me. So I guess I'm not the right guy to advise.....