Has anyone here had to deal with a torn rotator cuff? I just had xrays done yesterday but I am not sure what treatment is used to help with range of motion. Thanks geifer:wave:

Has anyone here had to deal with a torn rotator cuff? I just had xrays done yesterday but I am not sure what treatment is used to help with range of motion. Thanks geifer:wave:

Don't know if this will help you..but... my brother has dealt with a torn rotator
cuff for 3mo...at least... I know he could not move his arm...he had surgery last week...already started therapy..& is doing great...hope this helps you...

Hi geifer,

We all take the use of shoulders as many other joint movements for granted --until something happens!

My wife had a rotator cuff tear plus a torn ligament to her bicep muscle--- recieved by doing Physical Therapy exercise for a SI joint problem.

The cuff was repaired and 2 bio-degradeable screws were put in to re-attach the muscle and of course all done surgically.

She could not lay down to sleep horizontally for 41 days (she slept in a recliner & some chairs) and the PT took 4 months to get about 85 to 90% use of her shoulder back.

Wy wife has Osteo and over the years been in pain. She has had a hip replaced, surgery on one knee and both wrists, radial tunnel surgery and broke her foot. She also gave birth to 4 children but we both agree --the shoulder surgery was by far the worse ordeal to deal with.

I am sure people that have shoulder surgery done have various degrees of pain and discomfort.

I Hope you recover with minimal problems!!

God Bless---Harry

I don';t know what I want to do. I would like to try therapy first because of other medical problems ( I have an ostomy ) I need the use of both my arms to change my appliance. Plus like you said the pain and other things that I will not handle to well. Do you know any other treatments that can be done other than surgery? I thought that it was arthritis and I also have back problems so I am not real physical so I don';t know how I torn the rotator cuff. Any info would be great I am 53 years old and female. Thanks geifer

geifer,

I am sorry that I sounded so negative. But, the surgery was painful for my wife.

A rotator cuff is not like other joints -- it is literally a CUFF that can split or tare and once that happens -- the only way I know to fix it is surgery.

The only suggestion I have would be go a Physical Therapy place that just treats shoulder, elbows, wrists and hands.This Specialty type of PT may help increase the range of motion without causing pain.

I wish you well---Harry

Not sure if you have already made a decision or not re surgery to your rotator cuff. I had problems with my shoulder for about 4 years and decompression ops, then they found out I had badly torn my cuff. I had surgery last June and although it has taken a while, I am pain free and have 90% movement. I was told it could take a year to recover full movement. I am still doing all the exercises and although it was a painful op, the pain I had before would not have just gone away on its own. I would definitely recommend surgery.

I would definitely explore other options before you consider surgery! A torn rotator cuff is not uncommon. I had torn rotator cuffs in both arms. PT will help you by strengthening and stretching the area. Both are important - strengthening and stretching. When I tore my rotator cuff on my other arm I didn't even need to go to PT as I already understood (from having gone to PT) what to do and was able to do the exercises and stretches in my home. It can get better but takes time. The more faithful you are to the exercises the quicker it will respond.

ballady,

Your story is very interesting.
I was unaware that rotator cuff injuries can be self healed through exercise/PT. How long did yours take to heal?

Another question --- How were your torn rotator cuffs diagnosed before PT?

Thanks for the information.

Harry

Harry,

I saw an orhopedic doc who took X-rays of the area, to make sure it was not an arthritic condition, and then tested through manipulating my arm several ways, which was extremely painful. He thought that I had 3 (out of a possible 4) tears in that arm. I could have gone further and had an MRI but he deals with a lot of cuff tears and felt it wouldn't be necessary. It took months to heal completely but with the exercises and such I could feel that things were moving along. For me, surgery would be the very last thing I would want to do.

All the best

ballady3,

Thank you for the explanation!!

Harry

Just had rotator cuff surgery in november of 06. 2 complete tears and 1 partial. It was destroyed. If you have questions I have answers

I was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff in Sept 2006. The method used to determine this was an MRI. I schedule surgery (was told my shoulder would not improve without it) in December 2006. There was no tear, not even a partial tear (contrary to the MRI report). I developed a frozen shoulder after surgery and had 21 sessions of PT. My shoulder continues to be a problem. I also suffered from numbness in my right hand. They are now saying the numbness was caused from a pinched nerve in my neck and not related to the shoulder injury. Funny thing is, I never had any trouble with my shoulder or neck or hand until after the shoulder injury.

Have you sought a second opinion?

I too have suffered from a torn rotator cuff. It was dx'd by an MRI, this is the only correct way to diagnose it. An x-ray does not show soft tissue or muscles. Mine was caused by a huge undetected spur that grew between the joint and tore my rotator cuff completely in half.

I had surgery to correct it and did suffer from a frozen shoulder which was easily corrected with the doctor quickly forcing my arm upwards. It was painful but only for a bit.

I've had over 14 surgeries and would have to say this was probably the easiest one I ever had. I was healed up by 6 weeks. My arm does ache now and again and I can't carry heavy things for long periods but otherwise it is perfectly ok.

To Catie:
My doc thought I had another torn rotator a few years ago based on extreme arm pain and did an MRI. The MRI was clean but because of the excruciating pain they did emergency surgery. All was fine minus a few spurs and arthritis.
After being in the sling from the surgery my pain increased 10 fold and I lost the feeling in many fingers and in my arm. It turned out that what was my real problem was several spurs in my neck.

I had an MRI done of my neck a month or so later when the pain would not stop. It found many spurs and I was again operated on, my neck was fused from c4-c7. Thankfully I did not wait long as there is no permanent damage. I never once showed any neck pain only shoulder and arm. I would take what the doc says seriously and ask for an MRI of your neck!

They are now looking at my neck too because I am still having numbness in my right hand. Because my injury was work related, I am battling with Workman's Comp t pay for the treatment of my neck. They are covering my shoulder only at this time, saying my neck problems (although most doctors say is probably related to 22 of phone use without a headset) are NOT related to the shoulder.

To the person who started this thread, have you gotten a second opinion?