Rotator Cuff Repair Full thickness rotator cuff repair

I did do the FARM selection on Amazon. Every little bit helps and it gives me more excuses to buy stuff!
Thank you so much for your contribution. I love the idea that now you need to shop. :heehee: I buy so many things from Amazon these days. It's just easier and most of the time less expensive. But.....knowing that local stores are negatively impacted, I do make purchases there too. Heck, maybe I'm just a professional shopper and didn't realize it!

I think I just expect more from myself and need to feel sure that I’m where I should be in my recovery.
I think this feeling is very common. It's especially the case when a person has little frame of reference for what these joint procedures take for recovery. This is one of the main reasons BoneSmart was created. Our founder, Richard Warner, was unable to find ANY information or help on the web back in the early 2000's when he had his hips replaced. It's our mission here at BoneSmart to ensure that never happens again for people who want to understand their joint issues and surgeries.

Another rotator cuff surgery survivor told me that her therapist told her that where you are at a year is pretty much where you’re going to be! What do you think about that?
I definitely agree with Jo that there probably isn't a limit on how long you can expect progress. At least in some cases recovery time would be a factor of how weakened your muscles were before your surgery. Muscles can atrophy fairly quickly....usually faster than most people think. I remember my cracker-jack physical trainer telling me years ago that for every day your muscles are immobile or underused, it takes 10 days to recover proper strength. I don't know if that prediction is valid when you have muscles not used for months or years, but in my case with my shoulder, I can see that after 2+ years of not doing much with my left arm above shoulder height, my strength at those higher levels is VERY slow in coming back. I'm learning patience.....again.
 
It took a good year when I forgot I had a shoulder you can do moderate weight training after 3 months if your Dr says ok. Put the pain takes a long time to go away
 
May I add a word. So glad your appointment Went well. One thing that phone BoneSmart provides Is support. Shoulder surgery is not for the faint of heart. Being able to bounce off your feelings your aches and pains on others is important
 
Thanks for your good words. I’ve noticed that I have felt better in the last few days since that appointment. At most i’ve had some mild upper arm soreness even after an unusually busy couple of days which included a flight to Florida Friday morning to attend a party Friday night, a flight back to Atlanta Saturday afternoon and church today! I think I had worked myself into such a state of anxiety and tension it made me feel bad physically. As I think about it I remember the same thing happened before and after my last appointment. At that time I was so afraid I would have to continue going to PT! I had been going twice weekly for five months and was really, really tired of going. When he told me I was done with PT I almost cried. Hopefully I’ll remember these lessons as my September appointment approaches.
 
Even after a year, my arm will hurt at the oddest times, I was lucky ( my wife may not agree) she is an OT and did all my therapy. I was lucky, as I’ve always has jobs that were physical, and had great strength in my arms. I was amazed at the muscle loss after 4 months
 
I’m sure that has a lot to do with recovery. My doctor said he was more comfortable with me at my age (I was 73) as a surgical candidate than a lot of his younger patients. Even so, I have never been a very physically active person and I know my muscle tone is almost nonexistent. I’ve set my goal at being able to lift a case of water again at some point in time. That’s about 25 lbs.
 
Want to share with everyone. I have been in a run of what I call feeling scary good days. Minimal discomfort-maybe a “3”, noticeably stronger-carried a little over 5lbs a pretty good distance with no more than a mild sensation that resolved quickly. Feeling so encouraged!
 
Great update @Carcon ! Sounds like you have really turned a corner in this recovery. Well done!
 
Keep up the good work. I know you’ve been struggling with discomfort for awhile. So each step we take toward returning to a normal life is reaching a huge mile stone.

I’m going to be the harbinger forever (after needing a revision after 6 wk) Please do not do more than your care team recommends. No one takes better care of you than you do. Be kind!
 
Great update @Carcon ! Sounds like you have really turned a corner in this recovery. Well done!
I noticed a similar upswing just over the three months point. Maybe the difference now is that the changes are smaller and I think slower, that it’s easy to not notice or feel like you’re going backwards. I sure felt like that for weeks, which triggered the pity party which made doing the exercises harder and increased the pain and around and around we go.
 
Keep up the good work. I know you’ve been struggling with discomfort for awhile. So each step we take toward returning to a normal life is reaching a huge mile stone.

I’m going to be the harbinger forever (after needing a revision after 6 wk) Please do not do more than your care team recommends. No one takes better care of you than you do. Be kind!

I think i’m probably overly cautious about what I do and my family is even more so! If It were left to them I probably would still be in the sling! I can’t imagine having to go through surgery again. I’ve pretty much decided that if my left (non-dominant) shoulder goes out i’m just going to suck it up or opt for replacement.
 
Hi everyone!
Today I’m nine months out from the surgical procedures on my shoulder. I can honestly say I’m feeling the beginnings of normalcy even though I still feel the shoulder all of the time! Strength is still an issue but I’m able to increase reps of exercises and do see something of a difference. Icing takes care of Whatever discomfort I have. Don’t even remember the last time I had to take even aleve!
I hope this is encouraging to someone today
 
I am very encouraged by your post. Thanks! I will be at 2 months this Wednesday, so I am a long, long way behind you. Every day I feel a bit better and stronger, but words of encouragement like yours are still very much needed and appreciated.
 
@Carcon Thanks for stopping by and your great update! So glad the surgery worked for you. Just more proof patience and time = healing. Well done!
 
I am very encouraged by your post. Thanks! I will be at 2 months this Wednesday, so I am a long, long way behind you. Every day I feel a bit better and stronger, but words of encouragement like yours are still very much needed and appreciated.
I recall the two months mark as being difficult, especially getting through the holidays: I didn’t have enough strength to peel oranges for Christmas dinner ambrosia. I cried. Less than a month later I celebrated folding my sheets. I cried. You have to go with it.
 
@Carcon Thanks for stopping by and your great update! So glad the surgery worked for you. Just more proof patience and time = healing. Well done!
The motto of my PT clinic is Motivation+Dedication =Restoration. The place is appropriately named Restoration.
 
Great post, Carcon. It makes me look forward to the coming year.
 
I had a visit to my chiropractor today. She did a lymphatic drainage massage for the first time to see if it will help with the swelling on the surgical side. It’s shoulder to hand. Mild but noticeable and enough to make a difference in some of my clothes. I’ll keep you posted.
Also shopped at Sam’s today and found myself almost effortlessly loading 5lb containers with the surgical arm!
 

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