Shoulder Surgery

I ripped my rotator cuff off the bone. Age was not my friend. Depending on what they needs to do changes everything. Stay positive and DO what ever you are told to do for the best outcome. I spent 6 months in pretty intense physical therapy. I'm still doing physical therapy on my own.

I wished I had spent more time on weaker hand shooting. I'm making up for it now.

I love the 44. I'm 16 months out from surgery. No shotguns or large caliber rifle. I can only do 20 to 30 rounds of 44 magnums. However I can shoot heavy 44 special rounds all day.

My injury was severe. The MRI lies. They don't for sure until they get in there.

It can be a lot of pain, my was. I'll sent some prayers your way.
 
Last edited:
Chair

Rule3 said:
6 weeks?? That's almost funny but it's not.

I have had both shoulders done, rotator cuff, some spurs and some bicep tendon anchor, Really was not major, Out patient, took like 4-5 hours,Arthroscopic.

Recovery time is more like 1 year (360 days)!!

Yes, in 6 weeks you can kinda move around and not be in pain but you are not gonna be doing and lifting or steady shooting.

Request a GOOD sling! Not a cheapo, it makes a world of difference the first few weeks, be sure to sleep in a nice comfy lunge chair not bed for the first few nights. Take your meds BEFORE the nerve block wears off.

Of course as they say YMMV. Good Luck!

DonJoy UltraSling III ER Arm Sling | The Brace Shop
Click to expand...

First three weeks were unbearable. Sat in the chair and occasionally dozed. 3 months before I could sleep in bed under the covers. Thank you Lord.

Absolutely agree on the sling.
 
Hose

Chromedhearts said:
Possible in the near future, I may be getting my right shoulder tuned up.
Doc says my arm may be out of commission for up to 6 weeks.
So I guess I need to start doing some target practice with my left hand, and maybe pick up a southpaw holster, my H&K P7 may be getting some range time, it is the most ambidextrous of my auto loaders.
Click to expand...

Make sure you have a shower with a hose. And practice taking care of business with your other hand. You have no idea what your up against. Couldn't put my socks or shoes on by myself for 8 weeks, and that took twenty minutes. By the way you need to wear sweats until you can button and zip your own pants. My wife is a saint. Also when you go for surgery take a large button shirt. T shirt isn't going to work. After surgery take the pain meds and try to stay ahead of the pain. Ice, ice and more ice.
 
Well, I'm joining the club that no one really wants to join. My rotator cuff/bone spur deal is the 23rd.

I had a total knee replacement a couple of years ago and it went fine.

My orthopedic guy says that I lived a little too hard all my life and that he's done more police officer's knees and shoulders than pro athlete's knees and shoulders.

The other knee is due as soon as I recover enough from the shoulder deal. Maybe I should have been a shoe salesman.

Good luck to all you old guys!
 
A friend had a total inverted replacement a few years ago. The doctor said that she would be in a sling for at least six weeks. No problem, right? Wrong! Fortunately, she talked with other friends who had had similar surgeries. They said to forget about getting T-shirts that are a size larger than you usually wear. Their advice was to get at least two short sleeve mens shirts that are at least two sizes larger than you would wear and that button all the way down. Why? Because the sling they will put on you in the OR has a waist strap on it and you will not be able to move that hand away from your stomach FOR SIX WEEKS. The shirt has to go on over the sling and your hand will stick out between the buttons. There was no way that she was going to be able to move her arm far enough to put a T-shirt on.

Many things that you do automatically with the right hand become much more difficult when you have to do them using only the left hand. Operating a stick shift is only one of them. About two weeks before the operation she got a sling and started practicing doing everything she could left handed. When she went home she had a very good idea of what she would be able to do and what she would need help with and she had lined up people to help with those things.

Check with your doctors office and find out how much your arm movement will be restricted after the operation and start practicing how you will need to do things until you are allowed to move your arm away from your body.

Best wishes and remember to do all of the therapy.
 
I had rotator cuff surgery on my right arm just over two years ago. I still have a limited range of motion with it, and am unable to do much of a job of firing any handgun with my right hand alone, and I must use both hands. At least I no longer have any pain.
 
No pain

DWalt said:
I had rotator cuff surgery on my right arm just over two years ago. I still have a limited range of motion with it, and am unable to do much of a job of firing any handgun with my right hand alone, and I must use both hands. At least I no longer have any pain.
Click to expand...

I'm thankful for no pain. I had one of the best surgeons from Denver-Vail Orthopedics (they do the Broncos), Dr Mark Failinger. I had excellent physical therapy.

So towards the end of my physical therapy I told them i was working with weights at home. And they knew I was because of my progress. I told them I had a 44 mag in 3", 4", 5", 6" and 6 1/2 inch barrels and that's what I was using for weights. Freaked them out. Well I needed to be able at some point to hold them and raise them to shoot again. It's how I measured my progress. I remember how excited I was to raise a one pound dumbbell.

I wanted to shoot and get back on my Harley. That was my motivation for a great outcome.

My range of motion and strength has really exploded as I'm close to two years. I keep pushing. My shotguns are calling out to me.
 
To the OP, go buy you some hand towels and tube socks. Roll the towels up and stuff them in the socks; make them various lengths and thicknesses. Use these to prop up your arm when you are off your feet, sitting or laying. The slightest strain on your shoulder will hurt.

You likely will not be able to sleep in a bed for a while. Got a recliner? If you do try the bed, and normally sleep where your recuperating arm will be on the outside edge, take your ironing board and adjust it to bed height. Slip pillows in pillow cases over each end of the board, attach the board to your bed by tying it to the bed frame or mattress/box springs. This will help support your arm.
 
I never had surgery on my shoulder but I did have a very nasty fracture of my left shoulder after a nasty 22’ fall. Good thing I’m right handed as that damage sure curtailed a lot of what I could do for a long time.

Spent two weeks in the hospital and they did no therapy there, but after I was released I had appointments set up at a well rated therapy business. I went for about 2+ months and seemed to be progressing nicely, ( according to them)

Well to make a long story shorter I only regained about 60% of my let arm/shoulder strength. Lifting weights was interesting as using a long bar with decent weight it was obvious that my left side was much weaker than my right and tired much faster. The right side of the bar came up fast and clean and sometimes I could hardly get the bar past my neck on the left side.

To this day it’s the same way and the accident happened in 1978. I ended up getting a permanent 30% disability outcome from workers compensation.

It also affected my pistol shooting as I was shooting a lot of Combat and PPC. Shooting left handed (in some scenarios only your off hand shooting was permitted). Shooting a .45 the gun torque would make the gun and arm do a semi-circle of about 5’’ making it very difficult to shoot stages like that. Fortunately after a couple years I regained more muscle memory, but still a noticeable difference!

So good luck OP, follow your professional orders and suggestions and hopefully you come out of your problem better than I did.
 
Chromedhearts said:
Possible in the near future, I may be getting my right shoulder tuned up.
Doc says my arm may be out of commission for up to 6 weeks.
So I guess I need to start doing some target practice with my left hand, and maybe pick up a southpaw holster, my H&K P7 may be getting some range time, it is the most ambidextrous of my auto loaders.
Click to expand...
Have opinion. Talk to surgeon that will open up shoulder rather than arthroscopically. In Oklahoma, I've heard the pay scale is higher for a doc to do arthroscopically rather than open. But after having two surgeries on right and left pending, I wouldn't go any other route. Certainly the scarring is worse and your shoulder won't look as pretty afterwards but imagine the opportunity your surgeon will have to more closely examine all the damage that may have been done.

Buy yourself a comfortable recliner with electronic capabilities and get used to the idea of sleeping in this. Follow through with the necessary physical therapy. Make yourself build your shoulder strength slowly. The recovery time is it least 12 months if not longer. The problem here is that you can easily get yourself back in the same predicament.

Being a tough guy post op is a prescription for disaster. All of those things we normally do because that's what guys do such as offering to pick up heavy items have to stop during recovery. Daily you will have the opportunity to remind yourself that you just turned into a wimp. But fight the urge, just be a wimp and get through recovery.
 
I learned to wear my sling long after it was needed when I went to town. Old fiends like to swat you on the shoulder, unless they see some evidence of injury.

Same way with lifting, you feel guilty and try to do more than you can or should. The sling is your friend!
 
I never had rotator cuff repair but did have a total right shoulder replacement in 2002. Similar to a knee replacement in that the joint is opened and the top part (the ball) is sawn off. It is replaced with a titanium ball and the surface it rides on is also replaced. I began PT a week after the surgery (the staples were still in). The PT was actually something I looked forward to. I was required to sit in a hot whirlpool bath up to my neck in water. A little hot and had to ease into the water. I then had to use my good arm to slowly raise the other to the water surface. I did this for a week and then was tied off to the side of the pool, given a mask and snorkel and did the same routine while floating out horizontally. After a week or so of that, I moved to the rubber bands in the wall and did various pulling routines moving up gradually to stronger bands. I was also put on one of the "bicycle" machines where you pedal with your arms. One thing I should mention is that I took myself off pain meds about a week after surgery. There was pain involved but nothing I couldn't handle.

I put in all the required time and did all the home exercises religiously. After full recovery, my shoulder was better than ever. Six months after the surgery I was out playing golf.

Now I have problems.The Doc thinks it may be torn rotator cuff but can't do an MRI because of all the metal in my shoulder. That's my right arm and now my left is also a problem, kind of unstable. Lifting anything above shoulder height is a real problem.

One thing you do learn when you have surgery like this is the need to do everything with the other hand. You quickly realize that simply getting dressed will be a real challenge. Trying to pull up pants, zip them, button them and put a belt on is toughest. Sleeping is another problem. A nice comfy recliner can quickly become your friend. You may need help reclining it or you may have to recline it and then sort of step into it but it's definitely better than trying to sleep in a bed.

Oh the things we go through when we abuse our bodies or simply grow old.
 
7yrs ago I was told I needed total shoulder replacement.....no more M/A & no more lifting weights.I asked my options...Dr.was a jerk! Went to one of the best Ortho surg.in Fhe saw the MRI (same as other Dr. & said..DON't do it...I cain't give you anymore movement WITH surg.than you have...as long as you can stand pain....don't do it! I'm 72 now & figure I'll last...forget the heavy lifting in the weight room....that's done!!
 
I've had both mine repaired . Lots of good advice in this thread. I will only add that you must do every-freakin'-thing your Physical Terrorist tells you to do, and exsctly as told to do it. It hurts the worst the first three days, and gets a lot better after that. Don't be a hard guy; take the meds. It's going to hurt, and it's going to take a year to get all the way back.
My PT went on line, looked up Remington 870s, and made a mock-up for me to practice with so we'd know I'd be able to handle it when I went back to work!!
 
A little update;
My insurance changed first of the year, they would not spring for a MRI until after an X-ray, which the Doc expected to not show anything, and some physical therapy, and documented ibuprofen for a period.
Doc was some what negative about that, and I was gripping about my new insurance, but I have to say that after a solid week of exercise my pain is now less than it's been in months.
Still going to get the MRI but less pain is great.
Part of my therapy is using some light weights at home, and I have found my 686 fills that roll perfectly.
 
Years of lifting heavy weights left me with multiple rotator cuff issues on both sides. Acute arthritis in the right shoulder. Hurts 24/7 sometimes more than others. The doc says an artificial joint's my only option. I only know one guy who's had the procedure and he's still not 100% after more than a year. Anyone out there got an artificial joint? If yes, what's your verdict?
 
Now 3.5 months out, have about 90% range of motion, trouble putting my hand behind my back. Issue now is stamina and strength. This long not doing anything robs both. Have a great rehab team, up to 5 lbs holding arm straight out. I know it does not sound like much, but based on what it was Dr says progress is great, just keep working on it. Doing the homework is key!:)
 
My advice - check out all options, get numerous opinions and avoid surgery as long as it does not get worse. Years after surgery I am still healing, I hope!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

scout II
Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery(1-20-25 update post #18)
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
Onomea
Onomea
Doug M.
Well hell
2
Replies
34
Views
1K
pmanton
pmanton
smithman 10
Abby is recovering from surgery
Replies
16
Views
660
Doug M.
Doug M.
lihpster
Morning surprise
2 3
Replies
45
Views
1K
lihpster
lihpster
Golddollar
GETTYSBURG GUN SHOW REPORT
Replies
0
Views
356
Golddollar
Golddollar

Latest posts

Back
Top