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Torn rotator cuff repair surgery

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Torn rotator cuff repair surgery

Old 01-22-23, 07:52 PM
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eja_ bottecchia
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Torn rotator cuff repair surgery

I am 66 years young.

Four weeks ago I had surgery to repair a massive tear to my right rotator cuff. I crashed my bike while riding on PCH, near Mugu Rock. In addition to the rotator cuff I also broke my right hand small finger. BTW, I am happy to report that the bike is OK.

The surgery went well and I feel great.

I start PT on Tuesday.

I Have heard lots of horror stories about rotator cuff surgery and recovery.

I would like to hear from those of you who have had similar surgery. How was your recovery?

How long were you in PT?

What was your experience like? Highlights? Low lights?

How soon were you able to go out and comfortably ride again?

Thank you.
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Old 01-22-23, 09:21 PM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
I am 66 years young.............................................
I'm 72 years 6 months 12 days OLD and proud of every second to be **OLD** !!!

As far as RC Surgery reply ??-- waiting to hear from others since I only had a slight tear 1.5 years ago and I haven't faired too well due to some major other health issues.

BTW, GOOD LUCK!!!
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Old 01-22-23, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
I'm 72 years 6 months 12 days OLD and proud of every second to be **OLD** !!!

As far as RC Surgery reply ??-- waiting to hear from others since I only had a slight tear 1.5 years ago and I haven't faired too well due to some major other health issues.

BTW, GOOD LUCK!!!
I just recently retired and I am still getting used to the “old retired guy” label.

My tear was pretty massive. The surgeon had to do extensive repairs.

Next to not being able to ride my bike, the thing that I miss the most is not being able to walk my dog.

I hope that your health issues, along with your RC tear, resolve favorably!

Thank you for the well wishes.
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Old 01-22-23, 09:45 PM
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This thread might be helpful: https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...ry-advice.html
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Old 01-22-23, 09:57 PM
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I’ll be 62 in Feb, I had torn rotator cuff surgery 8-9 years ago. Of course your surgery wasn’t really planned I guess. But, what I always tell people preparing for it…if it’s the shoulder for the hand/arm you wipe your a$$ with…start practicing wiping with the other hand. As far as recovery and PT…do what the PTs and doc tell you. A don’t do anything to over do it. I felt like PT was torture in POW camp. But I did as much of the ‘at home’ exercises they suggested and allowed. No more. In the end, they said I recovered a lot quicker than other RC tears they’d seen. I mean I’m a runner too. I asked if I could jog on a treadmill while recovering if I held onto the handrails. The doctor said “One hundred percent NO!” Not because you might fall, and can’t break the fall with your hand. But because when you jog your arm will very slightly bounce up and down. It’s not much, but it’s enough to cause micro-tears in the healed tissue. It makes long term recovery much less effective. Of course you’ve probably already experienced the difficulty with sleeping during recovery. Hopefully you have a good recliner you can sleep in. Hope you’re feeling better, and good luck with PT and recovery.

Dan
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Old 01-22-23, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by force10
Thank you for the link. It has lots of great info. I was being lazy and not using the search feature.
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Old 01-24-23, 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
I just recently retired and I am still getting used to the “old retired guy” label.

My tear was pretty massive. The surgeon had to do extensive repairs.

Next to not being able to ride my bike, the thing that I miss the most is not being able to walk my dog.

I hope that your health issues, along with your RC tear, resolve favorably!

Thank you for the well wishes.
From everything I've heard and read about RC ISSUES and recovery, it IS A BEAR compared to my complete right shoulder replacement. My Ortho had the sling off the next day and I was back riding 2 days later without pain.
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Old 01-24-23, 07:17 AM
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I had rotator cuff surgery on a Friday and was riding on Monday. Of course, it was my recumbent. I decided to do PT myself.

After breaking my clavicle in three pieces, 5 ribs, cracker trochanter, cracked the spine of the scapula, humerus in 3 pieces, and elbow in 5 pieces with olecranon osteotomy surgery, it was almost a month before I could ride my upright bike. There was a small tear but surgeon said it was not worth a third operation. PT was 3 months 3x per week.
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Old 01-24-23, 07:54 AM
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I had a right shoulder rotator cuff tear repaired in 2011, 58 yo, along a with torn bicep and whatever the muscle is that runs along the clavicle. I am right handed, not really ambidextrous, but quite coordinated with the left arm/hand. That was a big help post surgery. Recovery was a long, and, at first, very painful. The first 6 weeks was absolutely miserable. Had to sleep sitting up in a chair, try to sleep anyway. Sometimes the painkillers, hydrocodone, would barely ease the pain. I was told by the PT that I should expect a lot of pain when first starting therapy, and take a pill before hand. IIRC, therapy was 6 months in office, and it took another 18 months, or so, for my shoulder to get back to somewhat pre-tear. The first time the therapist tried to raise my arm more than 90 degrees, I let out a bit of a scream and just wanted to stop. My shoulder is doing ok, almost 12 years post op, but never got back to total recovery. I still have issues with range of motion and doing any lifting of significant weight. Daily activities I am fine with. Everyone is different, and I am not trying to dissuade or alarm, just my experience. I have had 4 spinal surgeries, the shoulder recovery was worse than any of those.

Having said all of that, I wish you well, and suggest you do not try to push or hurry the recovery, do what the docs and therapists are asking you to do, but with the caveat, communicate any concerns you have with them. It is your shoulder and only you really know how it feels. If a stretch or exercise is more than you think you can, or should be doing, relay that and discuss the reasons for doing it, and options. They are the pro's, but truth in communication is important.
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Old 01-24-23, 08:18 AM
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shoulder surgery.

2002 & 2008 torn labrum repairs.52-58yo then.worse part was recovering "range & motion" in pt+scar tissue.2008 took 6 months of pt even with home excersizing.as described very much like boot camp torture.tip-ride an upright stationary to keep your leg muscles tuned & weight off the shoulders.if you take pain meds the pt may not be as bad.I didn't as getting off them is another battle.14 years later still using terrabands to keep the shoulder muscles strong.

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Old 01-24-23, 08:28 AM
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58 now and still having issues with my rotator cuff/detached bicep 4-hour surgery (lots of damage) when I was 45. I cannot remember how long I was off the bike. You'd think I'd remember that. I recall doing a running race with a sling. If I had to guess, I was off the bike for at least 8 weeks.

I wish you well and a thorough recovery.
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Old 01-24-23, 08:57 AM
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if they don't give you one of these get one it does wonders. cold therapy. I used 17ox pop bottles.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1
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Old 01-24-23, 07:08 PM
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I have some good news. After a year of pain and very limited range of motion, I had my non-dominate left rotator cuff operated on last March at age 76. My surgeon said that my operation was worse than average. Yet I was able to sleep in my own bed every night, didn't have to take the damned & controlled pain medication, and was able to resume moderate activities after 6 weeks and fairly normal activities after 3 months, in fact helping my handyman with a massive house repair/rebuild project that dragged on all year. Range of motion came back fairly quickly too, with full range probably around 5-6 months. The first 6 weeks was a PITA due to physical therapy and particularly the "half strait jacket" I had to wear essentially 24/7.

I was able to do a 32-mile bike ride after 7 weeks, but not much overall for the year, not because of pain, but because of the aforementioned massage house project.

YMMV. Best of luck, Dick
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Old 01-24-23, 11:12 PM
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hang in there, socal brother!
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Old 01-25-23, 10:54 AM
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Six months ago I tore my RC playing tennis.
Could not raise arm for one week.
Doing PT and its mostly now healed to point where I can start to do strength training again.
There are lots of YT vids by Dr's and PT's that have great details on PT exercises.
Takes a long time to heal so you need to be patient and regular with the PT.
Its difficult to know how much pain is good PT, ie working thru scar tissue etc, and not too much to go backwards.
Sorta like training rides, depends on rider, age, health, etc on how much pain is good work.
Best wishes!

Last edited by joesch; 01-25-23 at 10:57 AM.
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Old 01-29-23, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by GhostRider62
I had rotator cuff surgery on a Friday and was riding on Monday. Of course, it was my recumbent. I decided to do PT myself.

After breaking my clavicle in three pieces, 5 ribs, cracker trochanter, cracked the spine of the scapula, humerus in 3 pieces, and elbow in 5 pieces with olecranon osteotomy surgery, it was almost a month before I could ride my upright bike. There was a small tear but surgeon said it was not worth a third operation. PT was 3 months 3x per week.
Bro, you are a total stud.
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Old 01-29-23, 07:13 PM
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Originally Posted by ooga-booga
hang in there, socal brother!
Thank you my friend. We are a long way away from our ride up GMR.

I have been using my wife‘s indoor bike. Not quite the same as my Wahoo Kickr (no Zwift connection) but it is something.

Next to not being able to ride my bike, the thing that I miss the most is not being able to walk my dog. She misses it, I miss it.
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Old 01-29-23, 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
From everything I've heard and read about RC ISSUES and recovery, it IS A BEAR compared to my complete right shoulder replacement. My Ortho had the sling off the next day and I was back riding 2 days later without pain.
I should’ve just had the entire shoulder replaced then.
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Old 01-29-23, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by joesch
Six months ago I tore my RC playing tennis.
Could not raise arm for one week.
Doing PT and its mostly now healed to point where I can start to do strength training again.
There are lots of YT vids by Dr's and PT's that have great details on PT exercises.
Takes a long time to heal so you need to be patient and regular with the PT.
Its difficult to know how much pain is good PT, ie working thru scar tissue etc, and not too much to go backwards.
Sorta like training rides, depends on rider, age, health, etc on how much pain is good work.
Best wishes!
I checked out the YT videos. Frankly, some of them freaked me out with their “gruesome” details. But you are right, there is a lot of good info out there. Thanks!
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Old 01-30-23, 02:50 AM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
Thank you my friend. We are a long way away from our ride up GMR.

I have been using my wife‘s indoor bike. Not quite the same as my Wahoo Kickr (no Zwift connection) but it is something.

Next to not being able to ride my bike, the thing that I miss the most is not being able to walk my dog. She misses it, I miss it.
gmr/grr usually closed the 4th of july and it's on a tuesday this year. i'm usually off on tuesdays and will definitely try to make it up there for the madness
and camaraderie of the closed road that day. will likely do it once beforehand in march or april just for giggles. i'm sure you'll be raring and ready to go
by the 4th of july.
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Old 05-04-23, 10:42 AM
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RC surgery update:

Today marks 133 days post RC surgery. I am happy to report that I am back on the saddle. The weather here in So.Cal. has been so good (after all those earlier storms) that it felt like a cycling crime not to go out and ride.

The first couple of rides were a bit iffy. I had been off the bike for five months (including post surgery lay off) so my level of fitness and confidence on the bike were a bit off. I injured my RC (and broke a finger and cracked a rib) when I crashed my bike on a wet day out on PCH, so I must admit that I was freaked out by the possibility of another crash.

I am happy to report, however, that the last few rides have been fantastic. I had no idea how much I would miss cycling until I was forced by the surgery to temporarily stop riding.

The recovery has gone along extremely well. I am fortunate to be in the hands of a fantastic surgical team and a great PT person. I did not experience any of the painful post surgery effects mentioned by many, especially on YT. The worst day was on Day Three post surgery when they removed the pain killer dispensing catheter. It was Christmas Day and even though we had guests at home I just holed myself in our bedroom, I was hurting too much to talk to people.

I had initially talked myself out of getting the surgery by all the horror stories floating out there. Had I known that it was all going to go so well, I would’ve had the surgery four years ago, right after the crash. Instead, like an idiot, I suffered for four years with a painful and unstable shoulder.

Yesterday, I took my beloved 1989 Bottecchia out for a ride. She feels so right under me.

Ciao for now.

EDIT NOTE: Thank you everyone who responded to my original post and offered support and a TON of great suggestions. This place is great and you are the best!





Last edited by eja_ bottecchia; 05-04-23 at 03:51 PM. Reason: Add additional info.
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Old 05-04-23, 11:29 AM
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if they dont give you one of these ice machines buy one they are great.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 05-04-23, 03:49 PM
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Thank you. I did get an ice machine and I used it round the clock for the first two weeks. It was a complete lifesaver. I was using so much ice that my local market guy wanted to know what kind of “party” I was throwing.

I also wish to thank, if I have not done it before, everyone who responded to my original post and offered support and suggestions.

Grazie!
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Old 05-04-23, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
Thank you. I did get an ice machine and I used it round the clock for the first two weeks. It was a complete lifesaver. I was using so much ice that my local market guy wanted to know what kind of “party” I was throwing.

Grazie!
I wish they really told my wife about it when she had her should replacement surgery. you think yours was bad that was horrible.
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Old 05-04-23, 03:53 PM
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I am glad your recovery is going well. Mine was quite miserable, for quite a while.
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