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There is much more to rotator cuff surgery recovery than just the expertise of your surgeon. While it is true your physician and physical therapist must provide a good deal of science to the process you will have to provide a good understanding of how your body works and find a good deal of outside support as well. There will be normal daily activities that you will be unable to perform due to the surgery and you will need friends or loved ones to come along side you and help you out. When you bring all these elements together, you will have a winning team dedicated to your swift recovery.

Right after Surgery

There is a possibility that you will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. Open surgery requires the first few days of recovery to be monitored in the hospital for at least 24 hours. However if you have arthroscopic surgery you can go home immediately.

Regardless of the type of surgery, however, you will be required to wear a protective sling. This will aid in faster rotator cuff surgery recovery precisely because it will keep the arm and shoulder muscles as relaxed as possible. Keep in mind, however, that your physical therapist will help you perform passive exercises almost as soon as you get out of the hospital. This will ensure that your muscles do not atrophy and form debilitating scars.

Exercises during Recovery Period

During the four phases of recovery – passive motion, active motion, strengthening and full activity – you will be required to exercise your shoulders although in varying ways. Your physical therapist should be able to provide detailed assistance and instructions for exercises during all four phases. These exercises can be categorized into three – beginning, advanced and strengthening.

Beginning exercises can be accomplished both with and without the assistance of a physical therapist. Normally you will alternate between several exercises such as forward elevation, grip exercises, external rotation, and elbow flexion just to name a few. Discuss with your therapist about whether or not you are allowed to perform these exercises in an active and passive manner. If you do active exercise before you are ready, you will expose your shoulder to stress too soon and severely affect your rotator cuff surgery recovery.

Within about 6-8 weeks of your surgery, you should begin advanced exercises. Your physical therapist will expect you to allow your shoulder to do its full range of motion through exercise. These exercises will be performed around 10-15 times per day. Advanced exercises such as cross body adduction and internal rotation will be outlined by your physical therapist.

Third, strengthening exercises aim to restore strength to your otherwise weakened muscles. This way, you can indeed go back to your daily activities even in sports.

You will be required to lift weights although you must still remember not to overstress your shoulder muscles. As such, your physical therapist will plan out a personalized strength training protocol that will include internal and external rotations as well as pressing exercises.

In any of these exercises, you must immediately consult with your doctor when your wound starts to exhibit signs of redness, uncommon warmth and oozing fluid or when you develop a fever or when your pain becomes intolerable. Any of these factors will affect how fast and how well you tread the path of rotator cuff surgery recovery.

Tom Nicholson has spent years helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to learn more aboutrotator cuff surgery recovery.

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