Rotator cuff surgery recovery is not a quick fix. You need time to heal and this can typically take around six months following your rotator cuff tear surgery.

There is a basic sequence of events after rotator cuff surgery. Please remember everyone is different you may progress faster or slower, it doesn’t matter, just making progress is the key point.

Follow the advice, follow the rotator cuff tear rehabilitation program and follow that up with rotator cuff strengthening and your done.

Immediately after surgery

Immediately after surgery you will spend some time in recovery. Initial recovery is often an hour or two but is seldom much longer than that.

It is becoming more uncommon for an overnight hospital stay to be necessary; most people are discharged the same day. You will generally only remain at the hospital until your pain is adequately controlled.

Your arm will be placed into a sling. Generally this will be a sling that holds the arm slightly away from the side. This known as an abduction sling and is used after most rotator cuff tear surgery.

The first few days after rotator cuff surgery

The first few days after surgery is dedicated to controlling your pain and beginning rehabilitation.You will be prescribed a variety of pain relief medications and anti inflammatory drugs. You may be advised to try alternating pain medication and anti inflammatory drugs; this definitely worked for me.

One of the most important and yet most often overlooked remedies is also the most natural – ice. Frequent use of ice to treat the shoulder will help with pain relief and reduce inflammation.

Passive Motion

The first six weeks of rehab consists typically of passive motion only exercises. This allows for the shoulder to move without placing any stress on the repair. Isometric exercises may be used that work the muscles without any actual movement or contraction.

Your therapist or doctor or a friend will move your shoulder for you. You should also be instructed in a range of exercises you can do to move your own shoulder.

Active motion

Active motion is started once there is sufficient healing of the tendons. The critical thing at this stage is that no resistance is applied. In other words you can move your own arm but you can not do anything above that.

This is a key phase in your recovery and it may last up to 12 weeks. The success of the strengthening period that follows is dependent upon the actions taken here. Proper rehabilitation can only be safely achieved by not pushing too hard too soon, please be patient.

Strengthening

Rotator cuff surgery recovery is completed by a period of strengthening and this phase of recovery is crucial. Because of the initial injury, the surgery, and the early phases of recovery, the muscles of the rotator cuff have become weak. It is vital to build them up

Ultimately, successful recovery is only achieved once you are pain free and the muscles regain their former strength. It is not necessary to be lifting heavy weights; a program of rehab utilising resistance bands and small weights is all that is required.

Each exercise should be repeated a number of times or repetitions – reps, generally 8-12 and repeated up to 3 times. The process will result in two major benefits; it will prevent the formation of scar tissue and reduce stiffness. Both are vital in ensuring your rotator cuff surgery recovery is as quick and painless as possible.

 

 

Brooks Rehabilitation Stroke Recovery – Learn about the various programs to help you recover from a stroke. Hear from stroke survivors and learn about the various programs for stroke recovery: Rehabilitation Hospital, Neuro Rehab Day Treatment, Home Health, Outpatient Rehab, Clubhouse, and the Stroke Wellness Program. For more information visit BrooksRehab.org

 

Courts & Rehab: Some local, state officials at odds over how to treat drug …

Filed under: recovery rehabilitation

The Jacksonville faith-based program also provides transportation to and from evidence-based, 12-step treatment programs, like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery. “We are not a rehab in the traditional sense and not a …
Read more on Anniston Star

 

Estrada nearing rehab assignment

Filed under: recovery rehabilitation

It's the defense, hitting and baserunning he'd have to do that concerns the Brewers most at this point in his recovery. The right-hander originally injured himself breaking out of the batter's box when he hit a double against the San Francisco Giants …
Read more on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog)

 

New England Aquarium to release endangered sea turtles in Virginia

Filed under: recovery rehabilitation

He was scheduled to be released in Virginia after six months of recovery. After several months of rehabilitation at the New England Aquarium, 17 endangered sea turtles are expected to be released Sunday evening off the coast of Virginia, officials said …
Read more on Boston Globe