Shoulder Surgery


 

Phil Perrin

TVWBB Hall of Fame
Hey everyone, keep me in your thoughts Friday, please.
I'm having shoulder surgery this Friday. On my smart arm, no less!
I'm going to do all the exercises, but it's going to be really tough having to use my dumb arm for 6 weeks!
I'll let you guys know how it goes this weekend.
 
I recommend you start practicing the crucial activities with your non-dominant arm :)

What kind of surgery?

This video may or may not be helpful - I never had a major problem but I had an issue that was fixed by the overhead press.

Shoulder Rehab Case Study, by Mark Rippetoe / Starting Strength
https://youtu.be/xFt0IECBwdo

I'll check it out - the guy in the video put out a lot of good info from his rotator cuff rehab. If relevant, I'll link more.

...oh yeah - and good luck!
 
I did this three years ago. The first few weeks are tough, but just do the physical therapy.

Make sure you have a recliner, that has the foot rest lever on your good size.

And ice is your friend. A bag of peas from the freezer is good, but ordering a cool pac from Amazon is better.
 
Been there, done that. I had it years ago and was dreading it. 6 weeks later, I was kicking myself and saying, "why didn't I do this sooner?" Listen to Lynn and do the exercises. Good luck!
 
I just played that video again & it's pretty much all I've got :)

OT:
I hurt myself skiing 3/2016, re injured a bad back injury from the mid-90s. I was laid out for 3 weeks. I went crazy - I went from 100% active (work, exercise, projects) to being stuck on a floor. Growing up, I had a few friends/family/employees who abused pills - I didn't want to risk taking anything I remember them seeking. The Drs prescribed hydrocodone & muscle relaxors, my neighbors (the old ones, not the young-uns) brought me another painkiller in case I panicked while waiting for the hospital to open @ 7am.

The Drs prescribed muscle relaxors - "why do I need muscle relaxors?", "it keeps your back from twitching". My back isn't twitching I said. "Yes it is, you just can't feel it". So 9 days in I dropped the muscle relaxors & guess what - my back started twitching, like every minute or two.... you know, like when you see the skin twitch in a leg or an arm. I didn't take another pill & it took a month for the back twitches to go away.

I kept a log nearby on a notepad, I noted what & when I took anything. By day 9 I started switching my pain pills for edibles a friend brought by. The hydrocodone did almost nothing for the pain. 35 mg of colorado gummy bears worked much better on the pain, and instead of lasting 4 hours, they were good for 18 hours. I'm not sure if that's an option but check it out if it is. I kept the prescribed meds nearby in case I panicked (it hurt & I'd nearly get stuck in terribly painful positions).

Most of my severe injuries start to dull after day 12. That's generally how long it takes to deal with the worst of the trauma & healing is well underway.

I tried to stay active - it took forever to get up/down but I could do pushups. I started walking after the trauma was gone, I started hiking ASAP (stuff here is STEEP), scared to death of slips/falls. 6 months in I walked past my weight room & did a couple deadlifts......just to see. I stayed light, and I got sore (normal sore). I did it again, and before long my back pain was gone (still is) and I was lifting heavy (for a "normal" :) "person")

Anyway, listening to Rip in the vid, it sounds like you're in for it. On day 14 I hope you look back and say "it's getting better!"......
 
Good luck neighbor. I’ll definitely be thinking about ya on Friday and prayers already sent. Getting old STINKS!!
Tim
 
Wishing you well Phil. Just take your time and let it heal, if you over do it it will take forever to get better.
 
Thanks everyone!
I have a small, but through tear in the upper tendon in my rotator cuff. There is also a partial tear in the front one that extends down into the bicep.
Arthroscopically, the doctor is going to sew up the one and abrade the other and sew them up so they'll heal.
It means my smart arm in a sling for 6 weeks and 6 weeks of rehab after, IIRC.
And we have an ice water recycler from when my wife had knee replacement 4 years ago.
I'll let you guys know how I am in a few days.
 
I had my surgery on May 9th. I was in PT through end of August. But I really think I went to PT a month longer than necessary. I had good insurance and it wasn't costing me anything, so I went as long as they kept suggesting I go.

I slept in a recliner the first three weeks. Probably got out of the sling sooner than I should, but I could not stand that thing.

My shoulder was similar to yours, torn rotator cuff and Doc did something with the bicep tendon. They told me in recovery and I can't recall. It was so bad I could not turn over in bed without the pain waking me up. Bass fishing wore my shoulder out, too many days on the lake casting repititively for hours.

I still have some bad days, almost entirely when we have a weather change. Have a front come through like we're gonna have tomorrow. Causes my shoulder to ache.
 
It's funny, people find out how long I've been delivering batteries and they ask how my back is. I tell them my back is fine, but my shoulders are crap! :p
 
So, I'm home. Been home since yesterday. The pain is pretty much nothing because my arm is still numb from the nerve block! I'm sure I'll be having a pain pill later to make sure I sleep tonight.
But using my dumb hand for everything is a bummer!
 
I have had both sides done one side rehab was better than the other but both were interesting to say the least. It has been many years now and no problems, hope your rehab turns out as well,just do not push it to far, and it will be like new.
 
So, I'm home. Been home since yesterday. The pain is pretty much nothing because my arm is still numb from the nerve block! I'm sure I'll be having a pain pill later to make sure I sleep tonight.
But using my dumb hand for everything is a bummer!
That's what I thought but I never used the first one - just Tylenol.
 

 

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