Rotator cuff

[Magicman]

I am now three weeks past surgery and two ½ weeks until my next doctor's visit.  I am doing 15 pulley pulls 3 times daily and obediently still in the sling.  Sleeping is still no fun. 

I did saw 4 days, but my activity was very limited.  My tailgunner has helped me many times, sometimes a couple of weeks at the time, so he knew the routine very well and also took very good care of me.  At least we got my customer out of a jam with his need for timbers. 

[tree-farmer]

Glad you are taking care of that arm MM, I know it hard not to use it. I'm out of sling but still on short leash. I have been able to get on tractor and work on a area I'm leveling out for fire wood storage. Hydraulics are my friend. Using hatchet  (left handed) on roots insted of ax or palaski like I normally would. Shoulder definately feels better than before surgery, do not want to screw that up after putting this much time into it. 

Hope Raided Bills set back was not serious.

[bwstout]

The Pulleys are your friends when I have done more than I should my shoulder is hurting I use the pulleys and give it relief.

[Raider Bill]

I have my first rehab appointment Wednesday. I guess I'll see if I pulled something bad.

[tree-farmer]

Had my 12 week check up with surgon. Ok to start strengh building, did not tell all of what I'd been doing (carefully mind you)
Still weak and tires easily, but getting better all the time. Much better than pre surgery.
Looking forward to summer projects.
How are you Raider Bill?

[Magicman]

Thanks for the update.  I am stretching and pulling, but no lifting (much anyway).  :

[Raider Bill]

I think I pulled something loose from my bicep. Pretty much all day pain again.
Making a apt today to see the Doc. next week.

Been going to PT. They say my range of motion is excellent unless my bicep is used then I have no strength.
If I try to do a curl it's like a ice pick has been rammed in the bicep.

[WDH]

Sorry to hear this.  Does not sound good.  You will have to do those 12 ounce curls using the other arm.

[Raider Bill]

Sorry to hear this.  Does not sound good.  You will have to do those 12 ounce curls using the other arm.

I haven't even been doing much of them. Almost being saintly.smiley_angel02_wings

[Magicman]

It's been almost 9 weeks since my rotator cuff/bicep surgery and I made my follow-up visit today.  There is still some slight stiffness but my reach now equals the other side.  

I was discharged and told not to try to do anything that I thought that I should not try to do.  :   In other words, no restrictions but be careful and use my head.  He said that my strength would come with time and not to be concerned about it.

[stanwelch]

Excellent report Magic!!  

[Jeff]

Good advice. I found ways to tear mine up when it was healthy, just imagine how many ways one can find to screw it up when it is still healing.

[caveman]

I know several of you have had torn rotator cuffs.  For those of you who have had surgical repairs on them, how successful was the surgery?  How long did you take to heal?  I understand this can vary from one person to another.  For those of you who run a sawmill, how long until you were able to operate your mill?

I ask these questions because I have a torn right rotator cuff among some other issues in that shoulder that I have been putting off for a few years now.  I tried the physical therapy, but I don't think it helped much and at $50 a weekly visit and a lost afternoon of productivity, it did not seem to be a good use of my time and money.

The duration of the recuperation is important too as now that I retired, I try to make up the difference in my pension compared to my previous salary by sawing and guiding fishing trips.  When fishing with live baits, which is what we are mostly doing now, I usually cast for the clients.  I can cast left-handed, but my accuracy and distance is not as good as my dominant hand.  I don't want to sound like a whiny baby, but it is difficult to sleep the way it is now, and I would really like to be able to throw a ball again (I don't think my plan of playing in an over 50 baseball league will come to fruition, but I'd like to be able to play catch with my grandson).

Thank you for sharing your experiences.  I know some of you have had some rough roads regarding shoulders, but I'm just weighing my options.  If I do get the surgery, I'd probably wait until summer when the fishing trips slow down.

[Jeff]

I have had 5 shoulder operations 4 cuff repairs, 2 on each shoulder. They are better at it now then they were in 1989 when I had my first and worst.  Every time for me it has taken a year to get back. What ever you do is don't skimp on your post surgery therapy. If it's effecting your sleep, you can't put it off at this point.

[Magicman]

Get it done because it can/will not heal itself.  PT will not help in any way.

I had my right shoulder rotator cuff repaired I guess 3-4 years ago.  My arm was still in a sling but my surgeon let me go back to sawing in ~6 weeks.  No lifting or anything like that but at the controls. 

You cast with your elbow and wrist so I do not see an issue there.  Just keep your elbow tucked tightly to your side.

I never even think about it or my knee replacement.

[caveman]

Thank you for your responses.  I've put it off for so long dreading the recovery length.  I considered getting the surgery while I was still teaching but with all of the obligations I had with my folks the past couple of years, I could not easily be without the use of my right arm for any length of time.

Pop passed away a year ago tomorrow and my mother is able to walk again after a dreadful summer of being mostly bedridden during 2023.

[Jeff]

Kyle it is what it is. You will find ways to do things as you recover. The best advice I can give you, is if it's your butt wiping side, start practicing with the other hand. ;)

[Ron Scott]

Very painful the first week after surgery. Have a good lazy boy recliner to sit/lay in.

[Raider Bill]

Very painful the first week after surgery. Have a good lazy boy recliner to sit/lay in.

And hope the raise/lower lever is on the other side.

[Jeff]

It really is a tough first week, but with all these horror stories, probably everyone of us thinks it was worth it. Me 4 times plus a mumford procedure, which was nothin. I remember they just did a shoulder block and the drug trip they put me through was crazy. They then put me on some patch for nausea from the trippy anethesia I was having, and that produced demons riding merry go rounds trying to drag me on and giant spiders crawling down the wall and putting its foot on the shoulder of the nurse I'm complaining about the demons to.

[caveman]

I do all of my FF reading in my Lazyboy and yes, RaiderBill, the lever is on the right side.  That is the shoulder that is in the most need of repair.  I remember my Daddy saying many times that "getting old aint for sissies".  

Thank you for sharing your experiences and advice.  

[LogPup]

I had my shoulder done right before Labor Day.  Monday is my last PT day.  Everything went great.  As everybody has said do your PT.  My doctor recommended I use 
an ice therapy machine.  It was about $250. I was off pain meds the day after surgery.  I didn't want to be on those any longer than necessary.

I didn't have any problems with swelling or any other problems.  I actually have better range now than my other shoulder.  As Jeff said anything you do with that arm now better get used to doing it with your other arm. (warning your aim won't be as good .) 

I am still working on the strength issue but they say it just takes time building the muscle strength back up.

We have a sofa that has a shallow seating depth.  It really helped sleeping on my side as I could not turn over on my back with out starting to come off the seat.  That
way I didn't end up turning onto my arm which I kept in the sling.

I can lift a propane cylinder up onto the forklift but am very careful. Using my elbows more than my shoulder for lifting.  Good luck with your surgery.

[Raider Bill]

Be careful towards the end doing pt..
I thought I was doing good until i slid a cast iron pan with a nice rib eye in it across the stove top.
Pop and burn, the anchor came out.
Back to square one.

[LogPup]

Bill,  did they use the helicoil type anchor in your surgery?

[Raider Bill]

Bill,  did they use the helicoil type anchor in your surgery?

I'm not sure.