Rotator Cuff Surgery Recovery

Phases of Rotator Cuff Surgery Recovery

Although most rotator cuff injuries can be remedied with non-surgical options, your doctor may recommend rotator cuff surgery to repair the tears present in the shoulder.  Of course, the type of surgery will depend on many factors. No matter the surgery performed, however, the phases of rotator cuff surgery recovery will be similar. 

Day of the Surgery

In most cases, you need not stay overnight in the hospital since this is an outpatient procedure. However, you will have to stay in the hospital until such time that shoulder pain is managed through home medications.  Your arm will also be encased in a specialized protective sling.  This way, your shoulder and arm muscles will be in a relaxed position, hence, facilitating the healing process. 

Some tips to speed up rotator cuff surgery recovery during the first few days after the operation, which are very important in the later phases, include:

• Keep your pain under control by taking your pain medications as soon as you feel shoulder discomfort. 
  


• Try different combinations of pain and anti-inflammation medicines under the guidance of your doctor. 
  


• Place an ice bag over your shoulder so as to lessen the pain and speed up healing. 
  
  
• When sleeping, sleep in a semi-seated position with your elbows pointing down.
  

It must be emphasized that the phases of rotator cuff surgery recovery will vary from one person to the next in terms of the time taken to progress from one phase to another.  As such, it is best to comply with your personalized rehabilitation protocol.

During the first phase of recovery, which can last for up to 6 weeks, you will be directed to perform passive motions only.  Basically, this means the avoidance of any kind of work and/or stress on the rotator cuff tendons and muscles.  In this case, your physical therapist will perform two things.  First, he will move your repaired shoulder for you and, second, he will provide instructions on how to move your shoulders with the least possible muscle contractions. 

On the second phase, you can move your arm on your own although you should never move it against resistance of any kind.  This is called the active motion phase and can last up to 12 weeks from the time of surgery.

For the third phase, also called the strengthening period, you will focus on doing isolation exercises to provide strength to muscles that have been rendered weak due to inactivity.  This is the most important phase in rotator cuff surgery recovery since full muscle function can be returned once this step is successfully done.

During the fourth phase, you can now return to full activity for your shoulders.  Of course, many factors affect this phase that can last up to 6 months after surgery and you will still have to consult with your doctor about returning to your old physical activities especially where your shoulder is concerned.  

In conclusion, your commitment to rehabilitation, the size and location of the rotator cuff tear and physical condition will determine how well and how fast you can go through rotator cuff surgery recovery. Read more about rotator cuff pain here.