When should you consider rotator cuff surgery?
Key points to remember
- You may be able to stop or reverse early rotator cuff damage without surgery. ...
- You may want to think about surgery if you have torn your rotator cuff in a sudden injury and the tear is causing shoulder weakness. ...
- Whether you choose surgery or other treatment, you will need rehabilitation and physical therapy.
How long will I be out after rotator cuff surgery?
The precise amount of time needed to be off from work after rotator cuff surgery can vary from 3-8 months. If the rotator cuff is not given enough time to heal than the tear might recur. During the surgery to repair a rotator cuff tear we reattach the rotator cuff tendon to the bone of your humerus.
Can you play golf with a torn rotator cuff?
Some rotator cuff tears may heal with time, while others may require surgery. It is possible to play golf with a rotator cuff injury, but it requires special care. This amazing kale pesto is only 210 calories and anti-oxidant rich!
Can you play sports and exercise after rotator cuff surgery?
Start a more aggressive rotator cuff program as endured. Start progressive resistance exercises with weights as tolerated. Continue to seek full shoulder variety of movement in all planes. Increase the intensity of strength and practical training for progressive return to activities and sports.
Can you play golf with a torn rotator cuff?
Anyone with a rotator cuff injury, especially a tear, should not play sports like golf without medical advice. Based on the damage, playing golf is possible with the right conservative treatment. However, if surgery is required, the patient should have the operation before heading back on the green.
How long does it take to fully recover from rotator cuff surgery?
Often times the stiffness can be treated, and the pain resolves. It takes the repaired rotator cuff tendons about six weeks to heal initially to the bone, three months to form a relatively strong attachment to the bone, and about six to nine months before the tendon is completely healed to the bone.
How does a torn rotator cuff affect a golf swing?
Injuries that cause limitations in range of motion, such as full tears and degeneration of the shoulder joint can make it very difficult to go through the full motion of a golf swing, so play may be limited.
What are the restrictions after rotator cuff surgery?
You should not do any reaching, lifting, pushing, or pulling with your shoulder during the first six weeks after surgery. You should not reach behind your back with the operative arm. You may remove your arm from the sling to bend and straighten your elbow and to move your fingers several times a day.
What is the fastest way to recover from rotator cuff surgery?
8 Tips to Speed Recovery After Rotator Cuff SurgeryWear a sling. To speed recovery, it is important to keep your shoulder immobilized initially after surgery so your tendon can heal. ... Sleep carefully. ... Ask for help. ... Watch for complications. ... Do the physical therapy. ... Keep comfortable. ... Be mindful of your movement. ... Pace yourself.
Will my shoulder ever be the same after rotator cuff surgery?
Shoulder function not fully restored after rotator cuff surgery, follow-up study finds. Summary: Shoulder motion after rotator cuff surgery remains significantly different when compared to the patient's opposite shoulder, according to new study.
Is golf hard on your shoulders?
For all golfers, the act of swinging can place a large amount of stress on the shoulder's surrounding muscles, connective tissue, and tendons. This stress on the shoulder is partially due to the limited pelvic rotation that takes place during the swing.
Can you play golf with a shoulder brace?
Wearing a golf shoulder support is one of the best ways to help prevent this, by stabilising and relieving the joint. With Bauerfeind's range of products for active use, you can wear a golf shoulder brace to get you back into form and enjoying golf as it was made to be.
How do you golf with a shoulder injury?
Most patients sustaining a golf related shoulder injury will respond to nonsurgical treatment, such as rest and a physical therapy program including: (a) muscular strengthening and flexibility; (b) a pre-game warm-up routine; and (c) the adjustment of an individual's golf swing to meet their physical capacities and ...
How many weeks of physical therapy do you need for rotator cuff surgery?
Research suggests most patients can safely begin physical therapy early after surgery. This minimizes stiffness of the shoulder and loss of muscle in the rotator cuff. However, patients with larger tears may benefit from delaying physical therapy for 4 to 6 weeks to protect the healing repair.
What happens at 12 weeks after rotator cuff surgery?
When a rotator cuff is arthroscopically repaired, it takes approximately 12 weeks for the repair site to begin to have structural integrity as new blood vessels form and the tendon-to-bone repair site continues to mature.
What happens at 3 weeks after rotator cuff surgery?
3 weeks to 6 weeks- Post-acute recovery Therapy should not be “painful”, but you will have some discomfort with getting the shoulder out of the sling and having it moved around more. You are still not allowed to actively lift your arm at this point.
How long will my shoulder hurt after rotator cuff surgery?
Becoming too active, too soon can lead to a new tear or injury. A full recovery from rotator cuff surgery can take 6 months to one year. Rotator cuff tears are a very common source of shoulder pain. Surgery to repair the rotator cuff becomes an option if shoulder pain does not respond to non-surgical treatments.
Can a rotator cuff tear again after surgery?
A torn rotator cuff can usually be repaired by suturing it to its original position. However, tears can recur even after surgery. Recurrent rotator cuff tears especially occur with large tears. Problems in the surgical technique or during the healing process may also contribute to its recurrence.
What is the success rate for rotator cuff surgery?
It is well-established that, on average, the clinical results are better than the radiographic results—patients can still have a good clinical result despite radiographic failure of healing. In fact, up to 90% of the patients are happy at 6 months after rotator cuff repair surgery [7••].
What are the symptoms of a failed rotator cuff surgery?
Patients with rotator cuff failure can present with shoulder pain and/or significant weakness or stiffness. The post-operative shoulder pain can be at a new anatomic location or in a similar location to the pre-operative pain.
How long does it take to recover from rotator cuff surgery?
Even with today's arthoscopic surgery advances, recovering sufficiently for playing a game of golf requires roughly six months of rest and rehabilitation.
Where is the rotator cuff located?
Located on the back side of your shoulder, the rotator cuff is made up of muscles and tendons that connect the bone in your upper arm with your shoulder blade and keep your arm bone in the shoulder socket. Because the golf game requires arm and shoulder movement, playing golf after going through rotator cuff surgery requires a number of things, ...
How to strengthen shoulder muscles?
Increase your muscle strength to help support the shoulder. Resistance bands, weights and isometrics will help in this process.
What happens when a rotator cuff tear occurs?
Most commonly, it is the supraspinatus tendon which is injured. A tear often results in pain and inability to reach or lift overhead. The ability to swing a golf club powerfully is also compromised. For large tears, surgical repair is often required to restore shoulder function.
How many incisions do you need to make to repair a rotator cuff tear?
Depending on the size of the tear as well as any other injuries present, most rotator cuff tears are repaired arthroscopically by an orthopedic surgeon through 2-3 small incisions around the shoulder.
What is a tear in the rotator cuff?
What is a rotator cuff tear? A tear in the rotator cuff occurs when one or more of the tendons of the cuff partially tears or fully ruptures. As a result, the capability of the cuff to keep the ball seated in the socket is greatly diminished. Most commonly, it is the supraspinatus tendon which is injured.
Why is the rotator cuff important?
The rotator cuff is important because it helps provide muscular support and stability to the shoulder girdle as well as rotate the shoulder. Consequently, the rotator cuff provides power and control in the golf swing.
How long does it take for a tendons tear to heal?
Most repaired tendons take six weeks to heal back to the bone, but 4-6 months to regain strength and function. Healing time can be variable depending upon the size of the tear as well as the quality of the repair. Your orthopedic surgeon will advise you on healing timeframes after completing the repair.
How many tacs does a rotator cuff need?
After debriding any loose bodies and shaving back part of the acromion bone (subacromial decompression) to reduce the likelihood of impingement, the rotator cuff is reattached to the head of the humerus with 2-3 ‘tacs’.
When can I return to golf after shoulder surgery to fix a torn rotator cuff?
Every case is different and everyone’s response is different after rotator cuff surgery. Some can return to golf activities as fast a few weeks and others it may take a few months to return. It is all based on your case, how you respond, and if you have enough strength and range of motion required for golf activities.
How do I return to golfing and playing 18 holes of golf after my rotator cuff surgery?
You need a structure program that is designed by the best clinician in order to return to golf after getting rotator cuff surgery. Not all people can return to golf after having rotator cuff surgery. Our very own Scott Shepard ( voted Top 50 Golf Fitness Professionals in the US by Golf Digest!) is a physical therapist who is an expert in golf, golf swing biomechanics, and he runs our Golf Injury and Prevent program.
How long does it take to recover from rotator cuff surgery?
Some can return to golf activities as fast a few weeks and others it may take a few months to return. It is all based on your case, how you respond, and if you have enough strength and range of motion required for golf activities.
Rotator cuff tears are an unwanted handicap
Tendon tears are another common type of rotator cuff injury. These are more concerning than tendinitis and may even require surgery. The tendons connecting the muscles to the bone can stretch or tear. Tears can cause more intense pain, weakness, and stiffness.
Repairing the torn tendon
With full tears, surgery, followed by several weeks of physiotherapy, will be the only way to resume golf safely. Once a medical professional confirms a full tear, an orthopedic surgeon performs the procedure. Using arthroscopic means, the surgeon can view and repair the damaged tendon. The tendon is reattached with stitches and suture anchors.
Take care before your next golf swing
Anyone with a rotator cuff injury, especially a tear, should not play sports like golf without medical advice. Based on the damage, playing golf is possible with the right conservative treatment. However, if surgery is required, the patient should have the operation before heading back on the green.
jcjim
I can't tell you what the rotator cuff surgery will do...I have had rotator cuff problems for about 3 years...I can't raise my upper left arm more than a bit below parallel to the floor...I cannot reach to get a glass from a shelf without serious pain...so the right arm gets double duty..
jcjim
I am in the same boat as you as far as mobility and pain. However I don't have much of a choice. The MRI shows that mine is torn almost all the way through.
chspeed
Absolutely. I had open shoulder surgery to repair a torn subscapular tendon and remove a piece a bone. Surgery was in September 2013, and I was swinging a club by March and back on the course by April. Didn't even miss a season
oudrees
BTW, worst part of shoulder surgery for me was the two or three weeks after surgery. Sleeping lying down hurt too much, so had to sleep sitting up. Make sure you have a good LZ-boy or something to sleep on.
avmech
Had rotator cuff surgery (reattach a completely unattached tendon and removing a bone spur) toward the end of October 2013. Was cleared for golf and exercise early February 2014. Doc is one who believes in agressive rehab and I have zero problems and have full motion with my shoulder.
Posts
It is insane this is still being talked about. I read that people are saying he was the winner. Crazy!
How long after rotator cuff surgery can you play golf?
Do not expect to be 100% by 2 month post-op! Chances are, you will be nowhere even close to golfing shape by 2 months.
How long does it take to heal a golf shoulder?
Healing time is highly variable, but a general time frame is 4-6 weeks. Likely return to golf would occur at the end of that time frame, with approval needing to be granted by the surgeon first. Golf Fitness Home Page > Golf Injuries main > Shoulder Rehab. Share this page:
What happens when you rub a bone spur?
The bone spurs that develop eventually will rub, or pinch, the tissues that lie directly underneath. These tissues are a bursa sac as well as the supraspinatus muscle, which is one of the four rotator cuff muscles. The friction caused by these spurs can lead to bursitis, tendonitis, impingement, and/or a rotator cuff tear.
How long does it take to repair a rotator cuff?
A typical protocol for a rotator cuff repair is 6 weeks without any active shoulder motion, and then an additional 2 weeks before any rotator cuff strengthening.
What happens if you have spurs on your rotator cuff?
The friction caused by these spurs can lead to bursitis, tendonitis, impingement , and/or a rotator cuff tear.
What is the most common injury to the rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles, with the most commonly injured being the supraspinatus.
Why is a rotator cuff so common?
Your rotator cuff and the surrounding soft tissues provide much of this restraint. There is very little bony stability at the shoulder, which makes it very different than the hip. This reliance on your soft tissue is why a rotator cuff injury is so common.
What to do after rotator cuff surgery?
The first days after rotator cuff surgery are focused on ensuring that your pain control is adequate. Your doctor will prescribe medications to help with discomfort. Trying different types of medication can be helpful; many doctors recommend alternating prescribed narcotic medications with anti-inflammatory medication.
How long does it take to heal from rotator cuff surgery?
This article explains what to expect as you heal and recover from rotator cuff surgery. It's a four-phase process that can take from four to six months, sometimes longer.
What is the best way to hold your arm after rotator cuff surgery?
After surgery, your arm will be placed into a sling. A sling that holds the arm slightly away from the side (an abduction sling) is generally recommended for rotator cuff repair surgery, as these hold the tendons in a more relaxed position. You will remain at the hospital until your pain is adequately controlled.
What is passive motion in a rotator cuff?
Passive motion means that the shoulder moves without placing tension on the repair. In order to perform passive motion, your therapist will move your shoulder for you.
Why is it important to strengthen the rotator cuff?
Because of the injury, surgery, and early phases of recovery, the muscles of the rotator cuff have become weak. Once the repair has adequately healed, it is important to begin strengthening the muscles to allow you to resume your normal activity level.
How long can you move your arm after a sprain?
You may be limited to active motion for up to 12 weeks from the time of surgery. Active motion means that you can move your own arm, but not against resistance. 1
How to stop shoulder pain from getting worse?
1 . Always try to prevent the pain from becoming severe by taking smaller doses of pain medication at the early signs of discomfort, rather than large doses when the pain is more severe.
