Hurt my shoulder 3 mo. ago, kept thinking it might get well,it didn't. I finally got a MRI, bone doctor said he wanted to operate on it the next day. Told him I was going to wait till my daughters high school softball season was over, sometime in May. She has a week without any games coming up and I'm going to let him cut on it then. He's going to scope it with the 3 little holes. Who's had this and what can you tell me. Thanks BA

Depends on what has to be done. My left shoulder was fine in a couple of weeks. My right shoulder had major repair and I was off for 6 months.

Bill,

Had a bad left rotator a few years back. Used prescribed exercises (your's must be much worse). It took 6 mo to get it back in shape, but seriously compromised my competitive trap shooting (lucky I'm r. handed), it limited my swing and would "lock up" - no pain, just missed targets.

Hopefully, good therapy will shorten your recovery. These things really take time, and I recommend you not adopt a macho approach to healing - take it slow!!! Overdoing can really set you back!!!

Best of luck,

Mike

The guy that did my MRI actually told me more than the doctor, he said it was tore pretty bad. Three days after I feel off a tractor and hurt it, we had the worst ice storm that NW Arkansas has had in my 56 years. I'm still trying to get all of the fence fixed from fallen trees and limbs. It's really hard to run a chainsaw when one can't hardly lift his left arm. If it was my right arm I would have been fricked. What I'm wanting to know from you guys is how long before I can use it some? I have a lot of farm type work that I have to do. Thanks

My hunting partner was diagnosed with rotator cuff problems. The doc did arthroscopic surgery and guess what? Nothing was torn, it was a misdiagnosis. He never got a second opinion.
Good thing his employer paid for most of the hospital bills and he had short term disability insurance.

Bill,

Cannot give you a prognosis on going back to work.

Unfortunately, my personal experience says 3-4 months for chain saw work and 6+ months for back to normal.

Sorry buddy, but I think you're going to have to take is very easy for a while. The more you add to the injury, the more scar tissue you build up - this will restrict further range of motion.

Despite what people may think of doctors, they have a lot more training in these area than us amateurs do!!

Mike

Lots of therapy required. Four to nine months, or maybe even more depending on the severity of the tear.

In my case, I could not do any heavy lifting for a couple of months, and I had six more months of therapy after that.

Now, it's as good as new. But it did take a while before it healed up and I regained my strength.

Good luck!

Ah, the pleasant memories of shoulder surgery.

I've had three. Two on the left, one on the right. The one on the right was due to joint impingement requiring what they call a "Sub-AC joint decompression, or Mumford procedure. Basically they shave the under side of the AC joint and take off a little of the clavical to relieve the impingement. It was done arthroscopically through 3 small incisions. I was off work for 4 weeks, light duty for another 4, and not 100% for another 8 weeks. I was 40 at the time.

I had the same thing done on the left shoulder about 3 years later.

Two years after that I tore the rotator cuff on my left shoulder. They repaired it through an open 5" inch incision and while inside also performed another sub-AC joint decompression because my AC joint had become calcified again.

Total rehab for that was about 7 months. I was 45.

All three surgeries resulted in a lot of pain for about 10/12 days post op. It was not fun.

Still have cronic pain in both shoulders. Minimal over the head activity. Long gone are the days of rappelling, fast roping and heavy weight training. I throw a softball about like a girl. But at least I can still shoot big bore long guns. !!!!!

Mike,
I tore a rotator cuff when I popped my arm out of joint in a powerlifting contest. It was compounded with tearing the long head of the biceps off. After surgery, it was 3 months before I could lift my hand off my stomach and move it overhead. Rehab took 2 years to get back to where I started and now --7 years later I am fully recovered + !!

Thanks for replys guys...i'll have a report sometime after the 17th. I have had two total knee replacements so I know about crap that hurts, just give me some good drugs

Got shoulder done yesterday, doc said it was tore up bad.main thihg so far is pain. i can't lay down, i can sit in a lazy-boy chair pretty well, thats were i slept last night. lazyass wife went to bed and my 16 yr old daughter slept on couch and took care of me. i have some sort of pain pump with a tube run in my shoulder. i guess it is helping quite abit. also hve some perocets and valium i just doozed off juzt now. ill give another report sometime BA



m

Hang in! The pain stays constant for a bit, but you get used to it. Its all improvement from here on!

Great!!!

Now mine is back!! Gotta stop reading these posts!! I'm jinxed!!!

But seriously, going to the Doc on Monday for a prognosis. Fortunately, it's the off shoulder, so it won't effect my rifle or pistol shooting.

Taking vicodin for my arthritis, and it isn't even touching this one.

I worked all my life to get this old, and now look what I have to show for it!!! . But it beats the alternative.

Wish me well... as I wish it to all of you.

The trigger finger still works.

Mike

Well, I'm a week past my surgery. Went to my first physical therapy session today, wasn't to bad. Pain is about half what it was a few days ago.I still can't sleep in my bed, have to sleep in a recliner. I got my arm raised about halfway above my head in the PT session. I'm still taking lots of pain meds. After reading my post above,I had a LOT of pain pills in me when I typed that. Now only 6-8 weeks of PT and a shit load of home exercises.

Lads,

Looking forward to 12 rehab sessions. Intend to continue shooting and cutting wood in the mean time. Obla-dee, Obla-daa, life goes on!!

I did decide to purchase a crossbow and get back into bow hunting. Can't work a stick or a compound with my arthritis, so looking forward to a new way to harvest venison.

Damned if I'll let a little pain and inconvenience keep me from the woods and waters!! Defiant to the end!!!

Mike

Well I'm a month past my surgery now. Been going to PT 3 times a week and a bunch of home exercises.I can just barely lift my arm straight up, stiffness is very slowly getting better.Pain not to bad anymore. I have no strength at all yet. The whole recovery thing is very slow process, which is what everyone said it would be.Not being able to work or play really sucks.

Bill,

Convinced the therapist that I could do the exercises at home. He agreed and after 2 weeks I'm in great shape (saved 400 miles of travel as well). So what do I do... I get that new cross bow that requires 200lbs to cock. Even w/the string cocker I managed to buggar up my shoulder again.

Back to the weights!!! Putting the x-bow off for a few weeks.

Keep at it!! Good luck to us all.

Mike

I had both shoulders operated on w/i the last 5yrs. Rehab therapy is really important to get back to normal. Figure on 6 to 9 months to fell 100%. Good luck with your rehab.

It's been two and a half months since my surgery. I've had 8 weeks of rehab. I can now lift a 3 pound weight above my head,and I have almost got a full range of motion.Everyone said it was a slow healing thing and it is that! Still a long way from having a strong left arm.

Good work on the rehab. Keep it up, you are doing well!