Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrino
I've been following your adventure from the beginning but didn't feel a need to contribute until now. I had a Bankart repair performed 02 APR. The physician REFUSED to allow PT until mid-AUG. Bottom line - things were bad enough (a lot more damage than expected compounded by previous untreated injuries) when he went in that he didn't want an overzealous PT tech undoing his "masterpiece". I'm progressing well; he cleared me "not to return" on my last visit 03 SEP, instructing me to cautiously continue with the prescribed course of PT.
The data point for you is that there is no such thing as a routine repair. Your Ortho knows what he did and what can be expected over the course of recovery. Keep him in the loop until you have a clean bill of health and recovery has progressed as far as can be expected. Do not expect 100% restoration of function. My physician informed me that I can only expect about 70% after 12 months. As consolation he also told me "that's more than most people need/use anyway". As if that made me feel any better. 
The current/projected course of PT is focused on assisted stretching to prevent "frozen shoulder" and gradual increase of exercises designed to build stabilizing muscle. I've also been given a (common sense) list of activities to avoid. I have been repeatedly cautioned to avoid anything causing "pain". Apparently it really isn't "weakness leaving the body" as we've been told all these years. Who'da thunk?
Thankfully, I continue to improve. I have recovered sufficiently that I can once again manipulate a 9mm (haven't tried the .40, .44, or .45 yet); unfortunately I can't get my support elbow under my long gun, I've no idea yet what it means for archery season this year, and I'll be "throwing like a girl" probably for the rest of my life. And it still aches almost continuously though I was able/eager to quit narcotic pain meds W/I 2 weeks of the surgery. I've been assured everything is normal and progressing as expected - not to push it like we've all done while in uniform to "get back in the game faster".
Do as you've been told by your med care team, don't re-injure yourself by pushing too hard/fast, and be accepting of "the new normal". Screwing any of that up will most likely result in additional surgery (guys in my office facing 3rd and 4th surgeries on the same injury for FTFSI!). I don't know about you but avoidable pain (unnecessary surgeries fall in that category) isn't one of my fetishes. Good luck with your recovery; it's a long road, one I'm not that far down myself. |
Peregrino....thanks for jumping in with another perspective on degree of repair. There is no "cookie cutter" one-size-fits-all PT regimen for rotator cuff repairs.
As previously posted by me, I had surgery on May 28 and was at PT on May 29, three days a week for 4 weeks, then twice a week for another 5 weeks.
As for that archery season....probably not. I shoot a 40-45# Hickory self-bow, in addition to using an atlatl. I've been using the thera-bands and surgical tubing as a pulling exercise simulating pulling a bow, and can only get about 25# pull before the shoulder starts saying "stop". I started last week doing a little overhand atlatl spear throwing having the appearance of what I call the "sissy throw", trying to reduce stress on the shoulder. A few weeks ago, I was asked by the Director of the Museum of the Cherokee in NC to instruct a class on making and using the atlatl and dart. I told him due to the shoulder situation it would most likely be Spring of 2015 before I could do it.
I'm still doing the thera-band, pulley, and dumbbell exercises several times each week.
It's a long journey to recovery.
Carl