How to take care of your rotator cuff after surgery
Rotator cuff surgery recovery
A rotator cuff repair is a repair of one or more of the four rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder. I am not a surgeon, so I don’t repair these structures, but I have helped thousands of people rehab their shoulders after surgery. Some important things for you to know about your repair that you should discuss with your surgeon are:
How large was the tear? A small tear is 0-1 cm, medium is 1-3 cm, large 3-5 cm and massive >5 cm.
Had the tear retracted? Sometimes, if the tissue retracts and the head of the humerus is exposed, it can be difficult to mobilize the tissue to reapproximate the edges. If the tissue had retracted, was the surgeon able to bring the tissue edges back together?
What was the quality of the tissue that was repaired? If the tissue had good blood supply or if the tissue was infiltrated with fat can determine how well the tissue can heal.
Was the surgeon able to secure the repair near the anatomical footprint of the original structures? The closer the repair is brought to its original footprint, the more effective the muscles will be able to lift the arm as it heals.
Typically, after a rotator cuff repair, you will need to wear a sling for 6-8 weeks. Based on the size of the tear, the shape of the tear and the tissue quality, your surgeon will decide the timeframe for this.
I have seen a wide variety of when people start therapy after surgery. I’ve seen some people who start within 3 days of surgery and some who start as late as 6 weeks after surgery. Rehabilitation of a rotator cuff repair is a long process that can take months. It’s a gradual process that starts with passive range of motion progressing to resistance training starting around 3 months. This is based on the factors listed above. For example, a small tear with good tissue integrity being repaired with stabilization at the footprint with no retraction may progress somewhat faster than a massive tear with poor tissue quality and retraction.
Good communication between you, your surgeon and your therapist is key to your rehab and progression after your surgery.
Take good care,
Sharon