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Is there cycling after shoulder surgery??

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Is there cycling after shoulder surgery??

Old 09-29-18, 05:38 PM
  #26  
avmech
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Left shoulder: 5 years ago had bone spur removed and tendon reattached mid October. Early February the next year, cleared for unlimited activity. No issues.
Right shoulder: this past December had bone spur removed and small tear cleaned up. Released end of March, after 12 weeks rehab. Still issues, just got done with 4 weeks rehab, had another MRI Thursday, waiting for results.
The easy shoulder still giving me issues, the complicated one has no problems. No rhyme or reason.......
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Old 09-30-18, 10:10 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by rwelliot
Cleared by doc 6.5 weeks post op (supraspinatus tear repair) to ride stationary bike (Peloton) but holding on with only non-operative arm. What do you all think about holding on with both hands at this point?

Originally Posted by avmech
Left shoulder: 5 years ago had bone spur removed and tendon reattached mid October. Early February the next year, cleared for unlimited activity. No issues.

Right shoulder: this past December had bone spur removed and small tear cleaned up. Released end of March, after 12 weeks rehab. Still issues, just got done with 4 weeks rehab, had another MRI Thursday, waiting for results.

The easy shoulder still giving me issues, the complicated one has no problems. No rhyme or reason.......

Reading info on shoulder procedures it appears that any repair surgery requires more time to heal than replacement. Following my total right shoulder replacement I was back on the bike in 3 days and allowed total arm movement in 3 weeks.
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Old 09-30-18, 12:10 PM
  #28  
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No argument there. Wife had both knees replaced at the same time. They had her hobbling that afternoon, walking with a walker after a few days. 2 weeks in a rehab facility doing PT 2-3 times a day, then Home, doing PT a few times a week. Took her less time for that than when she had rotator cuff repair and less time than each of my two rotator cuff repairs
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Old 10-01-18, 08:25 AM
  #29  
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Stationary Bike Advice

Shoulder cuff (supraspinatus) repair surgery post op rehab protocol clears patient to ride stationary bike at five weeks. Does anybody have advice or experience on when it’s OK to grip the handlebars with both arms? This is for an indoor stationary bike, e.g. Peloton. I am almost seven weeks post op and cleared to drive and no longer am required to be on sling.
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Old 10-02-18, 07:24 AM
  #30  
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By all accounts rotator cuff repairs do take a long time to heal properly - if they ever do. Results can be highly variable. Surgeons here in Oz typically talk "6 weeks". That's BS. Non-surgeons say more like 6 months plus. In my case, at 59, it took well over a year of gradual improvement, but ultimately I did get a stellar result. I guess much depends on age, condition, degree of injury, surgical skill and dumb luck.
I'd suggest that you suck it and see, starting very gently: say 5 or 10 minutes. The worst thing you could do now would be to fall, throw out your arm and tear it again. And I do know of a guy who got so carried away on a Zwift ride that he threw himself on the floor to avoid the crash ahead of him ...
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Old 10-02-18, 08:28 AM
  #31  
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Recovery, riding

I had 3 tears in my right shoulder surgically repaired in 2011. I was warned that it is a tough, long recovery. I had known people that went through it and I did believe what I was being told. However, that still did not convince me that it would be that bad. I had 4 spinal surgeries from 1999 to 2007 and the recovery from them was not easy. The recovery from the shoulder surgery was much more painful, harder and considerably longer than the spinal surgeries. It really took me close to 2 years to get to where the shoulder was as good as it was going to get, which is pretty good. Six weeks of trying to sleep sitting up in a chair, along with the almost constant pain definitely took a toll. I am right handed and it was my right shoulder that was operated on. I am pretty coordinated with my left hand/arm but not having the use of the dominant right hand was very frustrating! The first session with a physical therapist was nothing less than excruciating. I was riding a trainer type bike at the PT office from the start but my right arm/shoulder was not involved. I have left shoulder issues but I will not have it worked on unless it gets to the point of extremely limited use and constant pain. Through all of my recoveries from surgery a bicycle has plaid a huge role. My legs were strong going into the back surgeries and that was a huge plus for me. I think the best way to recovery is to listen to the doctors and therapists and do all that you are asked to do. Having pain through the process is going to happen but not doing those things is going to cost you much more grief in the long run.


I am now 66 years old and still riding strong. I had 6000 miles on my bike last year and am somewhere around 3000 at this point for 2018. When people ask me how long, age wise, I will be able to continue my answer is that if I am in my 80s I hope to still be pedaling.
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Old 10-02-18, 11:31 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by rwelliot
Shoulder cuff (supraspinatus) repair surgery post op rehab protocol clears patient to ride stationary bike at five weeks. Does anybody have advice or experience on when it’s OK to grip the handlebars with both arms? This is for an indoor stationary bike, e.g. Peloton. I am almost seven weeks post op and cleared to drive and no longer am required to be on sling.
My answer to bold print --- Do what your Dr. and PT advise. What anyone here says IS MEANINGLESS.

Reason is simple --- My chosen surgeon said I can get back on bike in 2 days following TOTAL RIGHT SHOULDER REPLACEMENT. All other surgeons said not for months. I got back on after 3 days and 2+ years later doing OK even after fall on right shoulder a few months ago. I did not have a repair but I am sure it would have been much longer and I would have followed their instructions.
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Old 10-13-18, 07:53 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by avmech
Left shoulder: 5 years ago had bone spur removed and tendon reattached mid October. Early February the next year, cleared for unlimited activity. No issues.
Right shoulder: this past December had bone spur removed and small tear cleaned up. Released end of March, after 12 weeks rehab. Still issues, just got done with 4 weeks rehab, had another MRI Thursday, waiting for results.
The easy shoulder still giving me issues, the complicated one has no problems. No rhyme or reason.......
well found out the issue on the right shoulder: somehow I now have a 35-50% tear in supraspinatus and torn labrum with a cyst between the ball and the socket in my shoulder. The plan is to go with how it is until such time that the tear gos to 100% then reattach it and go for the cyst.

Last edited by avmech; 11-14-18 at 06:19 AM.
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Old 10-14-18, 10:49 PM
  #34  
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I also had a rotator cuff injury that did not require surgery, only PT. As others recommended, I’d suggest a trainer for your bike. I picked up a good one on craigslist for cheap, put a slick on the rear of my old mountain bike and caught up on a lot of documentaries and podcasts while pedaling. One thing I found helpful was to swap out the low handlebars for some upright bars. Sure they don’t do much for the bike’s aesthetic, but it really reduced any additional reinjury when I got back on the road. I initially used really high bars called Nitto Bosco bars. Felt awkward being that upright but I was able to keep riding. Eventually moved down to a Nitto Albatross bar and then back to lower bars. Took about a year but it kept me riding as it healed.

Good luck with your recovery.
john
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Old 10-15-18, 06:06 PM
  #35  
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Right shoulder replacement, 3/2016. Doc insisted on 3 months off the road, but he was OK with my getting on a trainer at 6 weeks, IIRC. His fear was that I'd rotate my shoulder more than 90 degrees before the muscle knit - if the big muscle ('something scapularis'?) in the front of the shoulder split, it's apparently hell to pull it back together.

My first ride was 3 months to the day after surgery. The surgery affected my riding positively - no pain. Note that I did the PT exercises pretty religiously, and I had a very good PT (gentle and sensitive; she pushed me hard but not too hard). My pain interfered with my sleep, and the surgeon I was working with was 2nd on the list my PT gave me. (The top guy was at a hospital known for rigidity (they, not my GP, had to do the pre-op exam, for example) and poor customer service (multi-hour waits to see the doc with whom you have an appt.), so I wanted to use the guy close to home.) You probably want a surgeon who does shoulder replacement pretty regularly.

Best of luck.
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Old 12-17-18, 11:23 AM
  #36  
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I am five days post-op from my second bicep tendonesis surgery. The fist surgery was in 2010, painful recovery process and I think it was 8-10 weeks before I was back to cycling. So far, post-surgical pain has been modest and i quit the opiates the day after surgery just relying on ice and tylenol. Fist PT is today. My bike is set up on the trainer and I hope to start upright pedaling this week. Unlike the first surgery, I seem to have more range of motion and less pain and the challenge now is not to do too much too soon and cause delayed recovery and return to riding.
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Old 01-26-19, 09:45 AM
  #37  
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Six weeks out and did my first outside ride yesterday, an easy flat 25 miles. It was clear that it will take some time to regain pre-surgery conditioning. I did minimal trainer riding, about once a week, it was just not my thing. PT was relatively easy and I have full range of motion with minimal discomfort at this point in recovery. With t
a primary risk is pulling the tendon free of the anchor to the bone. I am mostly past that issue now and I am just working on rebuilding arm strength and rebuilding conditioning. Yes, there is life after shoulder surgery....
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