Rotator cuff surgery

[tjones]

I have 2 tears in my right rotator, surgery coming after season. Has anyone been through it? Looking for advice on recovery and time it will take to get back shooting my bow?

 

[MT_elk]

Interesting timing. I will follow this thread as I just scheduled my surgery (for after hunting season). I've heard it can be anywhere from 4 weeks to a few months recovery. Adhering to the recommended physical therapy program is also key from the friends I've spoken to who have had this surgery. When is your surgery? Mine is the end of Dec.

 

[steveshuntn1]

My uncle had it done at 70 years old and his recovery was 3 months. Then he was pretty much back to doing whatever he wanted.

 

[tjones]

Interesting timing. I will follow this thread as I just scheduled my surgery (for after hunting season). I've heard it can be anywhere from 4 weeks to a few months recovery. Adhering to the recommended physical therapy program is also key from the friends I've spoken to who have had this surgery. When is your surgery? Mine is the end of Dec.

January 4th for mine. The doc didn't have an opening till mid December so for insurance reason I am waiting till after the first of the year. He said 6 weeks in a sling, no guns for 3 months. The gun part is a bit depressing as I will miss hunting coyotes this winter. Something I really like to do.

I am a bit concerned about drawing my bow. I need to look into how low the draw weight will go.

 

[Redmt]

I tore one tendon completely off and shredded another. They cleaned all the accumulated crap out of my shoulder and chipped off a couple bone spurs. Recovery was intense but easily doable. It took a few months to recover but now it's every bit of 110%. At 70 years old the only residual is 4 little scars on my shoulder.

 

[Dan O]

Had mine done in 2004. I had a spring bear hunt in Saskatchewan paid for. 10 weeks after surgery I was able to pull 50 lbs. enough times to sight in at 20 yards. I shot a bear at 6 yards that week.
Do your therapy and don't overdo it pushing the envelope. My Dr. knew about the hunt before surgery and gave me great advice regarding my recovery.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I have not have it done myself, but know two people that have, 1 stuck to the PT and the other one did not. DO YOUR PT as required because guess who months later was still not back to normal, yep, the one who did not do the PT. The other one was back to normal in about 3-6 months.

 

[Redmt]

Those doctors actually went to school for fixing you up. Pay attention to their recommendations.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I had my right one done in 2018. It sucks. The Oxy was great. I watched 5 seasons of breaking bad in a recliner in a just a couple days after having that done.

 

[JCS]

You'll have to chase a few coyotes before you have surgery..

 

[BackofBeyond]

Granted, it was a looooooong time ago, but I had my left shoulder done in high school. Was back in the weight room after a month, and back to 100% in 4 months.

Too bad I tore it all out again 6 months later... just lived with it since.

 

[tjones]

You'll have to chase a few coyotes before you have surgery..

Yep, I will get in what I can in December.

 

[MNElkNut]

Will they be repositioning your bicep too? Many times with guys over 40 the bicep is impacting the labrum so they fix that too. Had mine done spring of 2021. Didn’t bow hunt that year but did this year. The first week sucks. Really sucks. Clear your schedule. Do PT. It will be better in the long run. Sleeping in a recliner sucks too. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[David58]

It was nine and a half months till I felt normal. At about nine months I was getting really concerned, so talked to the baseball coach at the school where I coached soccer. He said it was almost ten months before he felt normal and could pitch batting practice and notice it. After our conversation, I just remember a day when I reached for something and it occured to me that I felt normal.

Yes, there was a curve, but after the first month it was pretty long and flat. You guys getting back at it in weeks make me think there must be a variety of injuries or surgeries. I did, though, tear the labrum and the rotator cuff was torn bad enough they had to cut it from the bone, clean it up, and reattach it. And yes, the drugs the first week were helpful, but the lifesaver was the icewater pump and the associated wrap on the shoulder.

 

[Nick87]

Fwiw this isn't first hand info but my old man had a complete tear 2 years ago, he opted for the full shoulder replacement. Recovery was a few weeks longer iirc but the odds of having to have the surgeory again were almost zilch.

 

[tjones]

Will they be repositioning your bicep too? Many times with guys over 40 the bicep is impacting the labrum so they fix that too. Had mine done spring of 2021. Didn’t bow hunt that year but did this year. The first week sucks. Really sucks. Clear your schedule. Do PT. It will be better in the long run. Sleeping in a recliner sucks too. Let me know if you have questions

No mention of the bicep just repair of the 2 tears in the rotator.

 

[tjones]

All good info guys.

Thanks

 

[300stw]

ive had both shoulders done 2x each in the last 6 years,,,,,pt is important, stretching and some weights, at the right time
imho, do not let them cut biceps tendon, if theres damage to it get it fixed no matter what,
its hard to pull 70lbs because of the bicep problems, who new,
last surgeon said, wont do any good to work on me again unless total replacement
its hard to sleep on my side pressure on the shoulders,,,

your mileage may vary

 

[MNElkNut]

I didnt have any issues with my biceps after they relocated it. it was the rotator cuff that drove my pain and weakness.

The biggest takeaway that I would share is clear your schedule completely for that first week. Mine really sucked.

 

[chuckchili]

I had both of mine done back to back in 2017-2018, right one first and then left at the age of 44. Recover time for the right was a little longer at about 10 weeks or so. They'll probably give you a pulley system to hook to the top of a door to stretch your shoulder out with which I thought was super helpful, not only does it take away some of the pain- I think it makes you recoup faster. I used the hell out of it. For me- six months after surgery I was back to the same or better than I was before.