Rotator cuff surgery

WheresMyBobber · 11-24-2003, 12:05 PM

The possibility of having to have surgery on my torn rotator cuff seems to be increasing. It's been torn for close to 10 years, but has degraded to the point where I may have to have surgery to try to clean it up.

I'd like to hear from or talk to other people who have had either arthroscopic or full blown surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. I'm not looking for medical advice, but I am interested in the following things:

1) what type of surgery did you have
2) how long was your rehab
3) did surgery make things better or worse
4) if surgery helped, how much better is it
5) how close to normal function do you have now
6) would you do it again if you had the choice

Any expericnces would be appreciated. If you'd be willing to talk by phone or email, please feel free to shoot me a private message and I'll get in touch with you.

Thanks!

[ 11-24-2003, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: WheresMyBobber ]

11-24-2003, 01:01 PM

1. Repair of a torn Meniscus
2. Ongoing
3. MUCH BETTER
4. MUCH BETTER, I CAN WALK
5. The other damage is the main problem and is not repairable
6. I would much rather not have to have the choice but if I was hurt I would have the surgery done.

Shop around and find the best surgeon you can and make sure he has done this surgery before.
Good luck and I hope you are not down long.
Feel free to email me.

greenbuttskunk · 11-24-2003, 01:26 PM

I had a completely torn/separated rotator cuff and surgery about 5 years ago. It occured during a bad mishap while whitewater kayaking. I attempted a funky roll while my arm was in an odd position. I heard a "pop" and that was it, it was toast. It was damn near impossible to even swim out of the rapids very well. I, like most just figured it would get better but it did'nt. Doing certain movements with my arm were excrutiating. Like reaching for my wallet or putting on a coat. Forget about throwing a football or snowball or anything. After a med. accessment it was determined to be pretty bad. I had no choice. I did some research and found Jonathan Greenleaf. He's a very well respected orthopaedic surgeon, and does alot of sports injury repairs. I always have very sloppy shoulders from competitive swimming all my life,
so he decided to "tighten" it up also. It's still a bit tight, I don't have the range of motion I should, but it due to not taking the rehab seroiusly enough. I think with more stretching I could be there. The folks at North Lake Physical Therapy are great, and very thorough, check them out, they made for a good recovery.
It's pretty damn painful after surgery and I'd say you are looking at 6 months to be back in any form. I'm left handed and it was my left that was blown. You'd fair better if it was you off hand.
Send me a pm if you need any more info.
Greenbuttskunk

[ 11-24-2003, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: greenbuttskunk ]

Joe Schwab · 11-24-2003, 04:09 PM

WMB, I had the works 7 years ago. Torn mediacolatteral or whatever it was. Tore it arresting a drunk at an OSU football game. He lost. They had to staple the muscle back into a groove cut in the shoulder bone. Very painful and disabling. One year of therapy got me back 90% motion. Still can't do what I used to but the results were better than nothing. Can't cast for long periods of time. Good luck!

[ 11-24-2003, 05:12 PM: Message edited by: Capt. Hook ]

STGRule · 11-24-2003, 04:44 PM

Husband says about his surgery.

1) What type of surgery did you have?
Both. Open for calcium deposit removal and arthroscopic for the rotator cuff.
2) How long was your rehab.
Most within 3 months completely by 10 months.
3) Did surgery make things better or worse?
All better now.
4) If surgery helped, how much better is it.
Completely healed and back to normal.
5) How close to normal function do you have now?
100%. No problem pulling oars.
6) Would you do it again if you had the choice?
He said in a heartbeat.

WheresMyBobber · 11-24-2003, 07:00 PM

Thanks for the replies and good info. :smile:

It's not the surgery itself I'm worried about, it's the length of rehab and being able to still do my job afterwards that concerns me most. After listening to my Dr say there are no guarantees, it made me want to get some input from people who had been through it before. I feel better after reading your posts. I wonder if springer fishing would be considered good physical therapy?

Firedog · 11-25-2003, 07:52 AM

Neil, I know a couple guysd that have had rotator cuff surgery and still do the Job just fine. I don't remember the recovery time on it though I think it is at least a couple months before they were able to get back to work. I strained mine at the first bluff fire and it was tough doing things just then I can imagine the pain with it torn. Good luck.

Pitch Pocket · 11-25-2003, 08:13 AM

I had open surgery on my left shoulder for a grade 2 AC separation and an acromioplasty in April with Dr Robert Cook in Tualatin. They thought it may have been a rotator cuff tear, but thankfully it wasn't. I was pretty sore for about 2 weeks after surgery but it improved quickly.

I was hitting golf balls again (intense physical activity

) after 4 weeks, and won low gross from the blues at Crosswater 7 weeks after surgery. It took me about 8-10 weeks to have total range of motion, but after a short stint in physical therapy to learn to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles, it is better than new.

I couldn't do anything with my left shoulder before the surgery due to intense aching pain. The pain from surgery (masked by narcotics) was not fun, but when it got better, it stayed better.

Dr Cook is a fine surgeon with a lot of experience in joint repair. I would not hesitate to recommend him. He warned that if he found a tear in the rotator cuff, it would double my recovery time, probably 12-14 weeks to full use and more PT. I was lucky he didn't find a tear.

Firedog · 11-25-2003, 08:41 AM

Also one of the best shoulder Dr.'s in town is Dr. Switlik (Sp?) over at Providence.

WheresMyBobber · 11-25-2003, 09:43 AM

Thanks firedog and PP. I just got off the phone with my insurance company, and all of the surgeons that have been recommended participate in my plan - that's amazing in itself! Now I just need to narrow it down.

Good to hear that guys you know have made it back to work Marty, I need to last 8 more years! Thanks again.

STGRule · 11-25-2003, 10:01 AM

WMB: Jim's surgeon was Dr. Sedgewick in Oregon City.

tommy2915 · 11-25-2003, 02:45 PM

I had a arthroscopic adhesion lysis/capsulotomy.with 2 yrs of therapy. Ended up with a frozen shoulder. Good luck.

[ 11-25-2003, 03:47 PM: Message edited by: tommy2915 ]

Woody · 11-25-2003, 02:53 PM

I second the vote for Dr. Robert Cook. He used to be the team doc for the Blazers. He did my son's knee (torn meniscus) he was back at wrestling practice in 2 weeks and wrestling live matches in 4.

Pitch Pocket · 11-25-2003, 06:33 PM

Isn't capsulotomy an eye surgery?

SandyRiverRon · 11-25-2003, 06:47 PM

I had a scope for impingment in 92'...no problems since...Dr McKay at Prov Med

wootersen · 11-25-2003, 10:08 PM

Dr. Swytlik performed my rotater cuff surgery about 8 years ago. I was in pretty bad shape before the surgery. I regained about 85% of my shoulder use back after the surgery. I had weekly physical therapy for about a year after the surgery. It still bothers my if I sleep on my side with my weight on my shoulder, but for the most part, good as new.

wootersen · 11-25-2003, 10:12 PM

One more note....like GBS, I didn't take my rehab seriously enough and I will regret it for the rest of my life. If I had been more serious about my physical therapy, I probably wouldn't have any problems with it.

Thank god I can still cast :grin:

WheresMyBobber · 11-25-2003, 10:27 PM

It's quite obvious who has had this problem, because the symptoms are all the same - they suck, and it's hard to explain to anybody else the pain that comes with everyday normal movements. Only someone who has had this (or lived with someone) can truly relate.

Again I thank all of you for your input and suggestions. If there's one thing I've learned from all of you, taking rehab seriously is critical. I probably won't be able to have surgery until after the first of the year, but I'll post back afterwards and let you know how things went. With any luck, I'll be able to start doing some serious backbouncing by the fall of 2004. Like Capt Hook said, even casting for a short period of time will probably be too much until then, or maybe longer. Until then it's divers, trolling or hoglining. You guys are great, thank you!

[ 11-25-2003, 11:28 PM: Message edited by: WheresMyBobber ]