It must be emphasized that rotator cuff surgery recovery is both a science and an art. Your physical therapist and physician will provide the science behind the exercises and applications while you provide the art of knowing your body. Of course, your family members who provide support in your daily activities, which cannot be performed due to the surgery, form a significant part of the art/science combo. Working together as a team, you can indeed speed up your recovery.
Right after Surgery
There is a possibility that you will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. Open surgery requires the first few days of recovery to be monitored in the hospital for at least 24 hours. However if you have arthroscopic surgery you can go home immediately.
You will be required to wear a protective sling no matter which surgery you opt for. A sling keeps the arm and should more relaxed and will aid in a faster rotator cuff surgery recovery. Your physical therapist will however help you with passive exercises as soon as you are released from the hospital. These stretching and strengthening exercises will keep your muscles soft and pliable preventing atrophy or scarring.
Recovery Period Exercises
You will go through four areas of recovery, passive motion, active motion, strength and full activity and there will be varying exercises depending on which phase you are currently in. A physical therapist will be on hand to discuss and instruct you on the proper exercises during each phase. Your exercises will fall into one of three groups, beginner, advanced and strength.
Beginning exercises can be accomplished both with and without the assistance of a physical therapist. Normally you will alternate between several exercises such as forward elevation, grip exercises, external rotation, and elbow flexion just to name a few. Discuss with your therapist about whether or not you are allowed to perform these exercises in an active and passive manner. If you do active exercise before you are ready, you will expose your shoulder to stress too soon and severely affect your rotator cuff surgery recovery.
Within about 6-8 weeks of your surgery, you should begin advanced exercises. Your physical therapist will expect you to allow your shoulder to do its full range of motion through exercise. These exercises will be performed around 10-15 times per day. Advanced exercises such as cross body adduction and internal rotation will be outlined by your physical therapist.
Third, strengthening exercises aim to restore strength to your otherwise weakened muscles. This way, you can indeed go back to your daily activities even in sports.
Weight lifting will be required at this stage of recovery but you have to remember not to overdo it. Since not stressing the shoulder muscles is so important, your physical therapist should outline a personal training regimen. This regimen will include internal, external and pressing exercises.
In any of these exercises, you must immediately consult with your doctor when your wound starts to exhibit signs of redness, uncommon warmth and oozing fluid or when you develop a fever or when your pain becomes intolerable. Any of these factors will affect how fast and how well you tread the path of rotator cuff surgery recovery. - 30453
Right after Surgery
There is a possibility that you will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. Open surgery requires the first few days of recovery to be monitored in the hospital for at least 24 hours. However if you have arthroscopic surgery you can go home immediately.
You will be required to wear a protective sling no matter which surgery you opt for. A sling keeps the arm and should more relaxed and will aid in a faster rotator cuff surgery recovery. Your physical therapist will however help you with passive exercises as soon as you are released from the hospital. These stretching and strengthening exercises will keep your muscles soft and pliable preventing atrophy or scarring.
Recovery Period Exercises
You will go through four areas of recovery, passive motion, active motion, strength and full activity and there will be varying exercises depending on which phase you are currently in. A physical therapist will be on hand to discuss and instruct you on the proper exercises during each phase. Your exercises will fall into one of three groups, beginner, advanced and strength.
Beginning exercises can be accomplished both with and without the assistance of a physical therapist. Normally you will alternate between several exercises such as forward elevation, grip exercises, external rotation, and elbow flexion just to name a few. Discuss with your therapist about whether or not you are allowed to perform these exercises in an active and passive manner. If you do active exercise before you are ready, you will expose your shoulder to stress too soon and severely affect your rotator cuff surgery recovery.
Within about 6-8 weeks of your surgery, you should begin advanced exercises. Your physical therapist will expect you to allow your shoulder to do its full range of motion through exercise. These exercises will be performed around 10-15 times per day. Advanced exercises such as cross body adduction and internal rotation will be outlined by your physical therapist.
Third, strengthening exercises aim to restore strength to your otherwise weakened muscles. This way, you can indeed go back to your daily activities even in sports.
Weight lifting will be required at this stage of recovery but you have to remember not to overdo it. Since not stressing the shoulder muscles is so important, your physical therapist should outline a personal training regimen. This regimen will include internal, external and pressing exercises.
In any of these exercises, you must immediately consult with your doctor when your wound starts to exhibit signs of redness, uncommon warmth and oozing fluid or when you develop a fever or when your pain becomes intolerable. Any of these factors will affect how fast and how well you tread the path of rotator cuff surgery recovery. - 30453
About the Author:
Tom Nicholson has spent years caring for sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome. You can click here to learn more regardingrotator cuff surgery recovery.
