D Bone Posted April 9, 2023 Report Share Posted April 9, 2023 Hey guys, I tore my left rotator cuff last weekend and I still don't how it happened. I finished a bike ride, washed my wife's car and did normal Saturday things all without so much as a twinge in my shoulder. By dinner time I knew something wasn't right and by morning I was in a large amount of pain. I can not raise my left hand above my belly button without terrible pain and it hurts all day in a static position. I am getting an MRI this week to confirm the severity of the tear, but I already know it's not good. Do any of you have 1st hand, or even 2nd hand experience with a RC tear? Surgery? Recovery time after surgery? No surgery went PT instead? What age were you or the person you were close to? etc... Any insight and/or words of encouragement would be appreciated because I'm pretty depressed right now as I literally can't do any of the things that makes me me. The 24/7 pain is just noise right now and I'm pretty good at dealing with it, but the not being able to put a fucking glass away in the cupboard is what is killing me. Anyway, thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted April 9, 2023 Report Share Posted April 9, 2023 Mr. D Bone ! Years ago, I was out in our garden after dark trying to plant all the tomato plants, but it started to rain. So, even stubborn me quit and walked towards the house, but halfway there, I slipped in some mud and fell and hit my elbow square into the ground. The pain was severe. When I finally got off the ground, I went into the kitchen, putting cold water on my face and was wishing the pain would go away at least a bit. My Wife came in quickly, knowing something was really wrong because I was too quiet. lol Went to a surgeon the next day on an emergency basis, and I was saying I think it is better today, healed a bit, and like you, I could lift my arm almost to a (EDIT) 50 degree angle. The doc shook his head, and said it was a serious tear, and will need surgery. Had an MRI, a rotator cuff was completely torn apart, had surgery a week later. BTW, with one arm, you can't zip up your own pants, etc. A really sweet xray tech helped me. So, phys therapy, with the therapist having me playing "itsy-bitsy spider" up the wall, and who laughed at my expression every time she had me do it...lol.... It took about six weeks to get my shoulder back. Later on, I was throwing regular sized hay bales with no problem at all. I was in my sixties. If you didn't have any significant impact, you probably/maybe only have a slight tear. I imagine that would mean rehab or at least a more minor surgery. Hope that helps. In case you didn't see it - I'm looking at another knee replacement surgery soon. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korsou Dawg Posted April 9, 2023 Report Share Posted April 9, 2023 No first-hand experience, sorry. From the gym, I know it is quite a challenging muscle to train. That said, muscle tears generally heal much better/ quicker than tendons, so I guess that's a positive. Hope the MRI results and diagnosis are positive. Please keep us updated. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiamat63 Posted April 9, 2023 Report Share Posted April 9, 2023 Don't fuck around with the PT... just don't. I don't care if you're going through corporate health or work insists on it. Go under the knife, get it taken care of and be back in 6 months. Otherwise you'll spend that much time in PT, end up getting surgery anyway and wasting a full year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted April 9, 2023 Report Share Posted April 9, 2023 https://www.verywellhealth.com/physical-therapy-versus-surgery-for-rotator-cuff-tears-2696052 Physical Therapy vs. Surgery for Torn Rotator Cuffs "Research has shown that if you have a rotator cuff tear, treatment with physical therapy may be just as effective as surgery.1 Rotator cuff tears are a common source of shoulder pain and functional loss in your arms and upper extremities. " ************************************* my opinion, a minor tear doesn't necessarily warrant surgery. Mine was a complete tear - completely required surgery. Anything slight, get a second opinion if you need to. and try to go to the best surgeons around. Check reviews etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted April 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2023 Man, thank you all for taking the time for me and on Easter no less, very much appreciated! I'm sorry to hear about your knee cal as I'm sure that is a big surgery with a ton of recovery....almost makes my shoulder feel better - almost. Hearing you throwing haybales around again and in your 60s made my day! With my daughter being a physio, she has been bombarding me with PT vs surgery studies but right now it's too soon to say one way or the other because I haven't had an MRI yet and don't know the severity. I'm just going by what I feel and it isn't good. (physio and orthro surgeon both did movement tests and both say torn for sure) I admit I lean towards tia as I want to get back to my crazy life asap and the thought of wasting 6 months scares me... as does having surgery when I could've avoided it...... but I have already had one surgery this year - Feb 15th mini open carpal tunnel release and forearm release, so what's another I guess? I will update this thread as the info, my decisions and their results warrant... thanks again everyone, it helped. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjp28 Posted April 11, 2023 Report Share Posted April 11, 2023 Best of luck DB I'll add this for now get some good doctors, PT, Ortho guys opinions and then when you're comfortable with everything go ahead and make your decision. Everyone here wishes you well and keep us posted. It's late now but I have a totally shot left shoulder and know that I need a shoulder job and have for about 10+ years -but- that's when my hip infection kicked in (osteomyelitis, the infection of a bone) and no doctor would touch that. My shoulder guy a really good doctor said if I got a shoulder repair and then the infection would somehow spread there I'd wish that I never had the surgery. Well since then my shoulder has got worse between the "loose" joint and now I have rotator "issues ". Plus I have played football, worked in a steel mill in maintenance, I was a lifter ..... all that good stuff which probably has hurt my shoulder to begin with. Oddly my right shoulder is still ok, strange. SO now I'm dealing with that. I just don't know exactly what will happen next. I'm doing gentle isometric stretching and exercising and things like that. Pain meds and occasional ice sometimes warm. PT guys and gals don't recommend much more than that. The human shoulder is one mysterious joint ..... for sure ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted April 11, 2023 Report Share Posted April 11, 2023 yikes. Good luck to all who have physical issues. My left knee is toast. But it's tough to use a walker with only one good shoulder, I reckon. Still with an infection? EGAD. can't get rid of that??? Yep, research and get the best doctors around. You won't be sorry. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted April 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2023 On 4/10/2023 at 8:57 PM, mjp28 said: Best of luck DB I'll add this for now get some good doctors, PT, Ortho guys opinions and then when you're comfortable with everything go ahead and make your decision. Everyone here wishes you well and keep us posted. It's late now but I have a totally shot left shoulder and know that I need a shoulder job and have for about 10+ years -but- that's when my hip infection kicked in (osteomyelitis, the infection of a bone) and no doctor would touch that. My shoulder guy a really good doctor said if I got a shoulder repair and then the infection would somehow spread there I'd wish that I never had the surgery. Well since then my shoulder has got worse between the "loose" joint and now I have rotator "issues ". Plus I have played football, worked in a steel mill in maintenance, I was a lifter ..... all that good stuff which probably has hurt my shoulder to begin with. Oddly my right shoulder is still ok, strange. SO now I'm dealing with that. I just don't know exactly what will happen next. I'm doing gentle isometric stretching and exercising and things like that. Pain meds and occasional ice sometimes warm. PT guys and gals don't recommend much more than that. The human shoulder is one mysterious joint ..... for sure ! Wow! I'm sorry to hear that mjp, that sounds awful. This is my first shoulder injury (other than 2 broken clavicles) and while the whole thing sucks, the lack of sleep is probably the hardest and I can only imagine what adding hip pain to it would be like.... Best wishes to you and feel free to update or just vent here! Update for me: I had an x-ray and ultrasound and it turns out I have calcific tendonitis which is basically a growth of calcium crap inside of the RC tendon. I got an ultrasound guided steroid injection on Tuesday and my range of motion has dramatically improved as has the pain. I'm only allowed to do passive shoulder exercises and am in a wait and see period. While calcific tendonitis can and usually will go away on it's own it can take anywhere between "6 months and a decade" to do so.... talk about hedging your bets as a Dr. The good news is mine is considered acute and while the most painful type, it is usually the easiest to manage during the healing/repair stage. Surgery would be a last ditch Hail Mary but it is an option. Thanks again everyone and I'll monitor/update this thread. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumby73 Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 @D Bone sorry to hear this stud.. I just saw this posting.. Hows things going? worse/better/same? ya had me worried w/limited postings.. Get Well Bone ! 🚵♂️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted May 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 2 hours ago, gumby73 said: @D Bone sorry to hear this stud.. I just saw this posting.. Hows things going? worse/better/same? ya had me worried w/limited postings.. Get Well Bone ! 🚵♂️ Sup gumby!! Thanks for this, it's very much appreciated! I'm doing better and see my Dr. tomorrow morning. I'm miles better than I was the first 5 days, but sill a long way from normal. Hopefully my Dr will have some encouraging news tomorrow and maybe by the end of May I can look back on this and laugh. I can't wait to get back on my bike again as well as everything else I do. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted May 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2023 Hey everyone, just an update. I am almost back. I officially began PT last week (I have been doing my own program for weeks with the help of my daughter) and am targeting next Saturday as my first ride... fingers crossed. I would not wish calcific tendonitis of the rotator cuff on anyone other than Steeler fans. I've been through some shit in my 55yrs and that ranked right at the top only behind my broken back and the resulting 18 hours of surgery over 2 days to fix it. I thought my shoulder and arm were going to explode and actually got out of bed to look in the mirror expecting to see a balloon animal like arm hanging from my body. Thank you to everyone who replied and best of luck to anyone who is going through some shit right now... there will be an end, even when it seems like there won't be. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjp28 Posted May 12, 2023 Report Share Posted May 12, 2023 Thank you for the update and as always ..hang in there baby ! At least it sounds like will be all set for the 2023 season. Keep us posted on your progress. mjp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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