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Rotator Cuff Surgery

D

Dennis McGill

Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
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Has anyone dealt with rotator cuff surgery? When can I get back to woodturning? My PT doesn't want to express an opinion.
 
Physical Therapists usually do great work in helping you to recover, but you must do all the painful work in order to put them out of work! Have had a shoulder rebuilt but no rotator cuff involvement.🙂
 
I had my left rotator cuff repaired about three years ago, and my surgeon promised me a long recovery, and boy was he right. It was about six months before everything was back to normal. Now I feel it's about 99% of what it was before the injury. I did not try any woodworking for six weeks, and slowly reintroduced myself to shop activities. The business about PT is right, they only show you how to get better, YOU have to do the work. Do the exercises, and push yourself a little, the harder you work at getting better, the sooner your will....but be cautious not to overdo this. Good luck and hang in there.


Howard
 
Dennis I will also suggest you speak with your Physical Therapists explaining how you would like to incorporate turning into your therapy. By sharing photographs of the process, and describing how different aspects of the craft work, you may be able to continue to turn and gain benefits of doing something you enjoy that helps you recover faster.
 
I guess I was very lucky. Both my wife and I have rotator cuff problems. We were referred to a sports med doc who spotted the problem right away. He said we could have surgery but recommended against it because of the low success rate so he gave us a set of exercises to do and said we'd be good to go in a few months.

That was 7 years ago. We both still have issues but can manage them by doing the exercises when we go to the gym. My problem is I can't shake the belief that I'm not 18 so I over lift and have continual problems. My bad!

The bottom line is by doing a few very simple exercises you can manage the problem and be pain free. The exercises are pretty standard. Just search the net and you'll easily find dozens of sites with the exercises.

Burt
 
Rotator cuff

Burt Alcantara said:
I guess I was very lucky. Both my wife and I have rotator cuff problems. We were referred to a sports med doc who spotted the problem right away. He said we could have surgery but recommended against it because of the low success rate so he gave us a set of exercises to do and said we'd be good to go in a few months.

Not all rotator cuffs are created equal. I am a Veterinary orthopedic surgeon, NOT human. The anatomy is totally different in my patients and so I do not speak from real knowledge. I have attended several human rotator cuff surgeries. I have had biceps problems for years and flunked physical therapy, and finally had 3 surg on 2 shoulders. The rotator is a different story. I am not sure that the success rate is that low-perhaps in that sport docs hands.
Remember that The internet is not "gospel". I would suggest that Dennis listen to his Dr. and not dispel surgery. A second opinion wouldn't be bad if there are now doubts. I think Dennis"s situation is to listen to his Dr., follow instructions, and work like hell. Frank's suggestion to show the therapist what we do would be helpful. Maybe sawing up a log and hauling a 40# hunk of wood onto the lathe, initially getting it into round may be more stressful than doing some small stuff. Good luck, Gretch
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I had knee surgery not RC surgery. I still can not throw a baseball from a bad RC but I'm pretty good every where else. My advice is to listen to your PT. Mine found a ruptured disk in my neck (from driving an 18 wheeler with stiff suspension) and got me to the proper people. I will say it will take one full year for your body to heal!!! It may seem like it is ok in 6 months but take it easy for a year. Today's medicine is truly wonderful and I would not hesitate to have RC surgery. I was riding 60 miles in a day on my knee after just 6 weeks with just a hint of swelling, so go do it and be pain free again.
 
A friend had rotator cuff surgury and the recuperation period is long, yet the PT's are helpful. Get a good surgeon and maybe even a second opinion and place more empasis on what they say than on what you may find on the internet. If the internet approach appeals to you, maybe you could just stand on the street corner and ask for opinions. Seriously, find a good surgeon.
 
I sure wouldn't go to a wood working site to get advice on rotator cuff surgery.
Go to not just an orthopedic surgeon, but one who specializes in shoulder/elbow surgery.

There are almost infinite variations on injuries to the most complicated joint in the body, the shoulder. Some are repairable with surgery, some are not. Some get better with PT, some won't. Some get worse over time, to the point that they cannot be repaired anymore, due to atrophy.

See a specialist. Your shoulder is more important than turning.

But to answer your question, I had mine done (4 separate tears). 6 months later I was doing very well, riding a motorcycle, just about everything. But, as I said, each injury is different. See a shoulder guy.
 
mike lipke said:
I sure wouldn't go to a wood working site to get advice on rotator cuff surgery.
Go to not just an orthopedic surgeon, but one who specializes in shoulder/elbow surgery.

There are almost infinite variations on injuries to the most complicated joint in the body, the shoulder. Some are repairable with surgery, some are not. Some get better with PT, some won't. Some get worse over time, to the point that they cannot be repaired anymore, due to atrophy.

See a specialist. Your shoulder is more important than turning.

But to answer your question, I had mine done (4 separate tears). 6 months later I was doing very well, riding a motorcycle, just about everything. But, as I said, each injury is different. See a shoulder guy.
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Good advice, Mike, Gretch
 
Without knowing the facts of your case, the very best answer is to listen to those responsible for the repair and rehabilitation. In their absence, listen to your body. Unless you are performing an action with known therapeutic value, stop when you experience pain.

As far as turning goes, it is going to depend on where you keep the rest and how little effort you expend to turn. Some people hack and scrape, others slide and shave. The latter is going to be easier on the body, though it MIGHT not be a fast. Let your rest hold the tool so your shoulder and elbow don't have to, and swing the body around and about with the elbow in. You'd be surprised what you can do with the proper angle and little or no "turning muscle." If seventy-pound sixth-graders with pipestem arms can shave wood, you should be able to do so as well. Beginning when you're cleared to try.
 
Thanks for all the advise.

I had the surgery 5 weeks ago at the VA Hospital in Milwaukee, and as most things VA it took longer than it should have to get PT started. But, it's coming along. I've already resigned to the fact that my boat won't be going into the water this year. (Lake Superior)

Before the surgery the Doc said something about 6 weeks. But now, everyones talking six months.

It hurts when I exercise, and it hurts when I don't. Sleep is at a real premium.

My advice to anyone. Do anything to keep from having this surgery.

I'm hoping to go to the John C. Campbell Folk School in October for a bowl class. I guess I won't register yet.
 
You have to be patient. Bones take 6 weeks to heal enough just to take the cast off. They are not full strength by then, just strong enough to take the cast off.
What they did in your shoulder is repairing tendons and where the tendons attach to the bone. There is no blood supply to tendons, and they take at least as long as bone to heal.

Your shoulder will never be as good as God made it, but it will be tons better than it was before surgery. I got discouraged as well. Lots of healing going on in there, and swelling, which is how your body gets blood in the area that normally has none, in order to heal the repaired tissues. You will get your boat in the water, and sign up for the class in the fall. Be patient as your body heals. I don't know how old you are, but healing takes longer when you hit 30, longer yet when you are 60, but it will heal, and you will be glad you had it repaired. The option of not repairing it is worse. Oh, and by the way, shoulder surgery is one of the most painful, according to most orthopedic surgeons. As I said before, it is the most complicated joint in your body, and the ONLY thing that keeps it working and aligned are the tendons and muscles attached to that rotator cuff, so it is going to take a while before it is anatomic again, but it will get there. 5 weeks? You are expecting too much at this point. Be patient and determined, you will be fine.
 
mike lipke said:
You have to be patient.

Your shoulder will never be as good as God made it, but it will be tons better than it was before surgery. I got discouraged as well. Lots of healing going on in there, and swelling, which is how your body gets blood in the area that normally has none, in order to heal the repaired tissues. You will get your boat in the water, and sign up for the class in the fall. Be patient as your body heals. I don't know how old you are, but healing takes longer when you hit 30, longer yet when you are 60, but it will heal, and you will be glad you had it repaired. The option of not repairing it is worse. Oh, and by the way, shoulder surgery is one of the most painful, according to most orthopedic surgeons. As I said before, it is the most complicated joint in your body, and the ONLY thing that keeps it working and aligned are the tendons and muscles attached to that rotator cuff, so it is going to take a while before it is anatomic again, but it will get there. 5 weeks? You are expecting too much at this point. Be patient and determined, you will be fine.
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Ahhh, the power of positive thinking!!! If unable to sleep, your pains seem worse. Have you ever noticed that a sore throat is sorer in bed until you get up and get all the other stimuli combating the pain center. Same with ortho pain. Hang in there, Gretch
 
Dennis McGill said:
........

Before the surgery the Doc said something about 6 weeks. But now, everyones talking six months.

It hurts when I exercise, and it hurts when I don't. Sleep is at a real premium.

My advice to anyone. Do anything to keep from having this surgery.

QUOTE]


Warning: everyone is different, everyone reacts to pain, discomfort differently.

I shattered my left rotor cuff 17 yrs. ago cross country skiing, had to be replaced, repair was not an option. The doctor said "if we replace it now, in 15 yrs. you'll have arthiritis so bad, we'll have to do it again. If we do nothing now, in 15 yrs. you'll have arthiritis so bad, you'll be begging to have it done."

I chose to do nothing, the hospital gave me exercises to do, I set up a pulley with clothesline in the shop (right arm pulling left as high as possible). I have no pain, I also have no "reach" (up or out to the side) but there is very little I can not do with my left arm. The most annoying thing is I can't screw somthing into the ceiling 😀

The few people I know who have had rotor cuff replacement (met at one and only physical therapy session) do not have enough more mobility than I do to warrant the surgery, pain and long recovery.

This is NOT advice, this is just another story.
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I had the surgery a little over three years ago. For the first two months or so I couldn't sleep in a bed and had to sleep in a recliner. After I could sleep in bed I had to prop my arm up so it wouldn't move and had to always sleep on my right side for several more months. It was a long and painful recovery but now I have more mobility in my left shoulder than I do in the right. I'm suppose to get the right one done but decided I'm not going through it again. Recovery time for me was 7 months before I could go back to work. Even then I don't feel 99% for over a year. I am glad I had it done (not that I had a choice).

The key is DO THE THERAPY. Sure, it's going to be a pain but if you don't you'll be sorry.

What I had done is Roto cuff repair, arthritis removal and bicep repair. I feel I had an excellent surgeon who also did surgery on both my hands a few years before.

Everyone heals differently but I don't think I would have done much turning for the first four months (I didn't turn at that time).

Follow your doctors orders, do your therapy (at home too) and I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Dave
 
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