OT: Anyone had a rotator cuff tear?

[Missing smitty]

I'm currently off work and am in physio.
Surgery was March 22.

Rotator Cuff

Torn Supraspanadis tendon.
Torn Subscapalaris tendon.

Bicepts Tendon

Subluxed (partially dislocated).
Multiple small tears.

General

Arthritis.
Tendonitis.
Bursitis.

So, as in the words of my OS, "it looked like a war zone in there."

5 1/2 weeks in a sling. Simple pendulum movement exercises.

8 weeks AROM and light strenghtening.

Next apt is June 28.
Scheduled back to work July 2.

AMA.

How in God's name did you function? Were you just running around slapping things around with an arm you couldn't use?

 

[Todd from Leduc]

Torn all 3 on each shoulder. Hurts like the dickens. Don't worry, few months later and I was bow practicing at my uncle Diet's.

 

[edmoil3]

Nah man I feel great, probably will go play catch later.

 

[Stoneman89]

Just like the title says. My physio lady said she's pretty sure I've torn my rotator cuff in my right shoulder (probably more damage, but without an MRI, she doesn't know). I don't have lots of pain, just some soreness, but absolutely no strength. Just wondering if anyone has gone through something similar.

Get ready for 6 weeks after the operation in a sling, followed by controlled stretching with rubber bands for another 6 weeks, and then gradually gets better. Takes about a year or so to reach 100 %, but trust me, it will likely be better than the other one, so that's good. Hope you have a good surgeon.

 

[Risingwind]

I’ve torn the smallest of the RC muscles (teres minor) by throwing a ball too many times with bad technique. Later on I studied this sort of stuff for some years.

The different rehab times have a lot to do with the degree of tear. A full tear can only be fixed through surgery, but the smaller the tear the less useful surgery seems to be. For small partial tears, science has shown that conservative treatment and surgical treatment have more or less equal outcomes, but of course surgeries always come with various issues. A fake surgery works surprisingly well for partial RC tears, that’s when they cut the skin and stitch it together. After waking up the shoulder works like magic. Unfortunately this kind of treatment can only be attained through joining a scientific experiment about RC surgery vs conservative treatment...

 

[Spirit of 67]

For those who wondered, my arm started breaking down in my 20's due to baseball. I played a ton and often pitched. My arm was like rubber and never got sore. Not at first.
Then one day I over threw a ball and it was never the same. Been going downhill ever since.
Last summer I was playing hockey. I went to stop and caught a rut. One skate went one way, the other, another way. I fell on my right elbow and my shoulder just exploded on me. Tore the 2 RC tendons and had a grade 3 separation of the AC joint to boot.
It's been a long time coming.

And no, for the most part, it didn't hurt a lot when I blew it out. I actually just thought it was another impingement at the time. Though, in hindsight, there seemed to be a part of me who knew something was seriously wrong.

 

[Spirit of 67]

How in God's name did you function? Were you just running around slapping things around with an arm you couldn't use?

You mean when Iwas in a sling? You get by. Wife helped out a lot.

Before? Again, you get by. I had little strength, and if I moved it, my biceps tendon would move around and it would just feel weird/gross. It didn't hurt but it just gave you an uneasy feeling. Also, if I reached for something, about 9 out of 10 times it was fine. But that one time, you never knew when, there'd be a loud pop in my shoulder followed by a bolt of knee buckling pain.

 

[Missing smitty]

You mean when Iwas in a sling? You get by. Wife helped out a lot.

Before? Again, you get by. I had little strength, and if I moved it, my biceps tendon would move around and it would just feel weird/gross. It didn't hurt but it just gave you an uneasy feeling. Also, if I reached for something, about 9 out of 10 times it was fine. But that one time, you never knew when, there'd be a loud pop in my shoulder followed by a bolt of knee buckling pain.

I don't have lots of pain, just profound weakness and I think other muscles are compensating, so I'm getting soreness in places that shouldn't be sore. Are you back to normal after surgery?

 

[Mr Sakich]

when I tore my rotator cuff, the hardest thing for me to do was to open a car door by pushing with my elbow. Since it is your left shoulder, sit in the passenger seat and see if you can easily open the door by pushing it with your elbow in a upward swinging motion

 

[mooseman7]

Not sure why , but I was stuck in a sling post op. for more the 10 weeks.
Saw my surgeon on Tuesday and he still has not released me for any resistance ..I'm told the structural strength is only at 25 percent in the tendon repairs made . Looking like a year if my math is correct.
You guys must be younger than me thus the shorter recovery times????
Anyways, mine started with an unknown broken collar bone, pain and clicking in the a.c, joint/ collarbone area. Found out why once I forced myself to go to the walk in clinic one day.. collarbone finally healed ,but still left with issues . Revealing the tendon tears , bone spurs, arthritis and calcification from prolonged tendonitis.
I suspect it was broken for as long as 10 -12 months.. the rotator cuff tears probably made worse from poor mechanics. I even kept
Playing hockey right up to day before surgery , even lifted every day in the gym ,and pretty heavy at that .. the heavier lifts were easier than isolated right shoulder exercises.. squats were brutal ,having to lift arm up and behind my back to grab the bar..
Weird how some with very similar injuries are quicker recovery protocols, and in some cases ,no surgery at all. I did the physio , I had multiple injections but in the end,surgery was the outcome ....

 

[McSuper]

My was torn in a car accident . Never did have surgery as the surgeon did not sound like it would fix the problem . He said he could make it worst but there were 2 surgeons whom talked together . I guess their biggest concern was I have a nerve impingement as well .

I think I need to have it reaccessed as it very painful . I am a side sleeper and I wake up quite often with terrible pain . Then there times I drop a simple glass of water. Just the pain becomes that bad . Old school doctors so there answer was pain meds . Got bottles and bottles of them such as morphine and OxyContin but that shit will kill you so very very rarely have I taken any . Taken 1 this year so far even tho the pain is unbearable at times .

Good luck . I would not wish my pain on anyone and it’s been 12 years

 

[Spirit of 67]

I don't have lots of pain, just profound weakness and I think other muscles are compensating, so I'm getting soreness in places that shouldn't be sore. Are you back to normal after surgery?

No, not at all.
It's not even been 3 months. I'm not even lifting weights yet. Still just lightly using bands.
I was told 9 months for full recovery.

 

[Morlu]

I just rehabbed from a torn supraspinatus it is extremely difficult. Physio ASAP is the most important, if you don’t need surgery.

Get an MRI scheduled and see a Dr. these things take time in Canada. Depending on severity and age they will recommend treatment. Rotator cuff surgery isn’t always fully successful so see a doctor.

My tear was under 1cm, and still very painful. Even now I still get some clicking and I can’t throw like I used too, but it’s fully functional. Still in physio.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Just like the title says. My physio lady said she's pretty sure I've torn my rotator cuff in my right shoulder (probably more damage, but without an MRI, she doesn't know). I don't have lots of pain, just some soreness, but absolutely no strength. Just wondering if anyone has gone through something similar.

Yes sir, been going thru it since my early 20's and now I'm 50. I use to be able to throw the ball a mile without pain. For the last 25 years, it feels like u r stabbed when u throw

 

[Oilers in NS]

For those who wondered, my arm started breaking down in my 20's due to baseball. I played a ton and often pitched. My arm was like rubber and never got sore. Not at first.
Then one day I over threw a ball and it was never the same. Been going downhill ever since.
Last summer I was playing hockey. I went to stop and caught a rut. One skate went one way, the other, another way. I fell on my right elbow and my shoulder just exploded on me. Tore the 2 RC tendons and had a grade 3 separation of the AC joint to boot.
It's been a long time coming.

And no, for the most part, it didn't hurt a lot when I blew it out. I actually just thought it was another impingement at the time. Though, in hindsight, there seemed to be a part of me who knew something was seriously wrong.

Exactly same story for me. I grew up in NS and played ball every day without pain. Moved to Vancouver in 1991 where I played twice as much ball. Returned to NS in 1993 and one day I threw and that was it. Never the same since. Advil is only remedy. THey will not operate on ya in NS. We don't have any doctors. I think Dr Nick from the Simpsons wont even come here

 

[Spirit of 67]

Exactly same story for me. I grew up in NS and played ball every day without pain. Moved to Vancouver in 1991 where I played twice as much ball. Returned to NS in 1993 and one day I threw and that was it. Never the same since. Advil is only remedy. THey will not operate on ya in NS. We don't have any doctors. I think Dr Nick from the Simpsons wont even come here

I've been using weed.

I have a prescription for it because of my back (2 major injuries. not the least of which was a compression fracture about mid back) so I'm pretty much in some sort of pain or discomfort all the time anyway.
But, they prescribed an opiate for my post surgical recovery. Took one the night I had the surgery and it did absolutely nothing. 3 hours later I decided to go with my original plan and smoke the last third of the joint I had saved but was too lazy to go outside and get.
Long story short, 3 hours with the opiate in my system did nothing but half an hour after that bit of a joint and I was asleep.

NOTE: This post was editted by the Department of Redundancy Dept.

 

[Oilers in NS]

I've been using weed.

I have a prescription for it because of my back (2 major injuries. not the least of which was a compression fracture about mid back) so I'm pretty much in some sort of pain or discomfort all the time anyway.
But, they prescribed an opiate for my post surgical recovery. Took one the night I had the surgery and it did absolutely nothing. 3 hours later I decided to go with my original plan and smoke the last third of the joint I had saved but was too lazy to go outside and get.
Long story short, 3 hours with the opiate in my system did nothing but half an hour after that bit of a joint and I was asleep.

NOTE: This post was editted by the Department of Redundancy Dept.

Agree with ya 100%. I need to smoke one every night before I sleep. As for the Opiates, I have a story for ya.

I live in NS on the mainland and my cousin is an ambulance driver in a town called Glace Bay in Cape Breton. Addictions are very bad there, especially Oxy. He told me its so bad that if someone dies and they put their obituary in the paper, the worst thing to do is mention Cancer of any kind. When the family is way at the funeral, people are breaking into the house for the drugs the deceased person had to fight cancer

 

[Spirit of 67]

Agree with ya 100%. I need to smoke one every night before I sleep. As for the Opiates, I have a story for ya.

I live in NS on the mainland and my cousin is an ambulance driver in a town called Glace Bay in Cape Breton. Addictions are very bad there, especially Oxy. He told me its so bad that if someone dies and they put their obituary in the paper, the worst thing to do is mention Cancer of any kind. When the family is way at the funeral, people are breaking into the house for the drugs the deceased person had to fight cancer

It's pretty brutal.

You hear horror stories everywhere.

Such a shame.

 

[Darkwinter]

As crazy as this sound but trust me it does work ..get chock cherry leaves and boil them to mush then pack yr shoulder's .i know it sounds f***ed but trust me I use to be an amateur bodybuilder and blew out my shoulder yrs ago .i had an elderly lady tell me to do this for arthritis and mending and holy crap I kid you not within 6 months I had full movement and that's even after they took out a ligament in my shoulder

 

[Oilers in NS]

It's pretty brutal.

You hear horror stories everywhere.

Such a shame.

Junkies

 

[Missing smitty]

Just in case anyone was wondering, MRI showed a labral tear, not a rotator cuff tear. Apparently that's a less significant injury with only about 4 months of recovery. Hoping for a date for surgery soon.

 

[tellermine]

Oh. Thats bad. Shoulder is most complex joint in human body.

I have had problems with both Shoulders for years now.

There are good moves to strenghten your small muscles at the area. Rotator cuff must be also streched with proper moves.

If Rotator cuff (it has many muscles etc., easier to say just area.) is to weak and stiff it damages easily.
And yes, most people forget them when training. Snap!

Good luck with that!

 

[Drivesaitl]

Agree with ya 100%. I need to smoke one every night before I sleep. As for the Opiates, I have a story for ya.

I live in NS on the mainland and my cousin is an ambulance driver in a town called Glace Bay in Cape Breton. Addictions are very bad there, especially Oxy. He told me its so bad that if someone dies and they put their obituary in the paper, the worst thing to do is mention Cancer of any kind. When the family is way at the funeral, people are breaking into the house for the drugs the deceased person had to fight cancer

This is a common story everywhere.

Doctors are going back to prescribing limited amounts of opioids as harm reduction, as not getting any seems to result in more petty crime, more elicit drugs, and fatalities from much stronger carfentanyl etc.

As with most drug problems the answer is depot like harm reduction. Want an Opioid pill? Come to the depot, each day, have it administered there, and have alternate drugs, like weed, available for use.

Anything is better than thousands of people dying of this terrible affliction and mainly due to the elicit trafficking of same.

Lastly people have to start laying claim to social responsibility. Often times its the Opiate trafficker has a lot of friends, associates, and known what they do. I see assessable social media platforms where the trafficking is barely hidden. Lots of tragic connections where the recent drug casualty was actually a friend of the trafficker, and even listed as a friend. Why don't more people confront the dealer killers out there? Just as an online punter I once found 3 recently deceased that were all friends on the same profile with a dealer who had been arrested for dealing opioids. Theres no name for such pond scum. I consider them to be serial killers.

 

[Ryan Pat80]

Agree with ya 100%. I need to smoke one every night before I sleep. As for the Opiates, I have a story for ya.

I live in NS on the mainland and my cousin is an ambulance driver in a town called Glace Bay in Cape Breton. Addictions are very bad there, especially Oxy. He told me its so bad that if someone dies and they put their obituary in the paper, the worst thing to do is mention Cancer of any kind. When the family is way at the funeral, people are breaking into the house for the drugs the deceased person had to fight cancer

Some sick, twisted shit, which coincidentally is what those type of people are.

 

[Missing smitty]

This is a common story everywhere.

Doctors are going back to prescribing limited amounts of opioids as harm reduction, as not getting any seems to result in more petty crime, more elicit drugs, and fatalities from much stronger carfentanyl etc.

As with most drug problems the answer is depot like harm reduction. Want an Opioid pill? Come to the depot, each day, have it administered there, and have alternate drugs, like weed, available for use.

Anything is better than thousands of people dying of this terrible affliction and mainly due to the elicit trafficking of same.

Lastly people have to start laying claim to social responsibility. Often times its the Opiate trafficker has a lot of friends, associates, and known what they do. I see assessable social media platforms where the trafficking is barely hidden. Lots of tragic connections where the recent drug casualty was actually a friend of the trafficker, and even listed as a friend. Why don't more people confront the dealer killers out there? Just as an online punter I once found 3 recently deceased that were all friends on the same profile with a dealer who had been arrested for dealing opioids. Theres no name for such pond scum. I consider them to be serial killers.

I was given Oxy for a surgery I had done on my tongue and after taking 1, I brought it back to the pharmacist and told them to take them away. They asked if it wasn't working and I told them it was working to well and I'd be on the corner trying to get more if I kept taking them.

I had to tell my doctor that alcoholism ran in my family, so I was likely very susceptible to addiction. He had never asked any questions prior to prescribing an opioid and it took me being grown up enough to see a problem before it started.

I don't know what it's like at a civilian doctors office, but I know army doctors want to prescribe and medicate more than actually fix problems and they will give out Oxy like candy sometimes.