Rotator Cuff Surgery Recovery and What You Need to Know
Posted on November 28, 2009
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There is much more to rotator cuff surgery recovery than just the expertise of your surgeon. While it is true your physician and physical therapist must provide a good deal of science to the process you will have to provide a good understanding of how your body works and find a good deal of outside support as well. There will be normal daily activities that you will be unable to perform due to the surgery and you will need friends or loved ones to come along side you and help you out. When you bring all these elements together, you will have a winning team dedicated to your swift recovery.
First Things First
Depending on the type of surgery performed, you may or may not be required to stay in the hospital after the operation. For example, if you had arthroscopic surgery, you can return home within the day. If you had open surgery, then you have to stay for 1-2 days in the hospital.
No matter which surgery you have you will be required to wear a protective sling. You will have a much faster rotator cuff surgery recovery time, as this will keep your arm and shoulder immobile and relaxed. This does not mean you should never move it however; you will have passive exercises to do guided by your physical therapist immediately after getting out of the hospital. These exercises keep the muscle from becoming atrophied or scarred.
During Recovery Exercises
There are four distinct phases of recovery, passive motion, active motion, strengthening and full activity. During each of these recovery phases, you will have specific exercises to do. Your physical therapist will provide you with the details for each area of recovery and the proper exercises you must do, they will generally fall into one of three categories, beginning, advanced and strengthening.
Beginning exercises can be accomplished both with and without the assistance of a physical therapist. Normally you will alternate between several exercises such as forward elevation, grip exercises, external rotation, and elbow flexion just to name a few. Discuss with your therapist about whether or not you are allowed to perform these exercises in an active and passive manner. If you do active exercise before you are ready, you will expose your shoulder to stress too soon and severely affect your rotator cuff surgery recovery.
Within about 6-8 weeks of your surgery, you should begin advanced exercises. Your physical therapist will expect you to allow your shoulder to do its full range of motion through exercise. These exercises will be performed around 10-15 times per day. Advanced exercises such as cross body adduction and internal rotation will be outlined by your physical therapist.
Finally, it will be time to strengthen your shoulder through exercise. It is common to lose some strength in your muscles after a surgery like this, however with strengthening exercises you should go back to your regular activities up to and including sports.
You will be required to lift weights although you must still remember not to overstress your shoulder muscles. As such, your physical therapist will plan out a personalized strength training protocol that will include internal and external rotations as well as pressing exercises.
During your rotator cuff surgery recovery period and exercises, you should contact your doctor immediately if your wound exhibits any of the following; oozing fluid, unnatural warmth, you develop fever or if pain becomes intense. Any of these can be a sign that things are not going well.
Tom Nicholson spends his time caring for carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to find out more aboutrotator cuff surgery recovery.
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