Rotator Cuff Tear and recovery
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| Bim |  | Rotator Cuff Tear and recovery | 24-11-2013 @ 10:57 |
 6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 29.11.2013 @ 14:13 PM by Bim So, about 6 months ago I tore one of my RC tendons in my right arm. I'll add the exact details later as I can't remember the tendon name off the top of my head. It's the most common one to tear anyway. Added - it's the supraspinatusI tore it benching, it was a 170x10 set with a slingshot and it tore on the fourth rep. I was well warmed up and at the time a couple of my pb's were 180x6 raw, and a 210x1 paused, so the slingshot set wasn't particularly taxing. I since found out from the surgeon that there are three main shapes for the shoulder bone, I have the pointy shaped one which is most prone to RC tears. Basically he said I had shredded my RC on my bone about 3/4 of the way through from overhead work and benching and it had eventually torn. He made it sound like it was inevitable with the training I was doing and my bone shape... After I did it I went to the doctors the next day and he sent me for an ultrasound. This took about 4 weeks and was inconclusive, so I went for an mri. This took about another 6 weeks and confirmed the tear. After talking to the surgeon it was decided that an operation was the best bet to fix it. I waited about another 12 weeks until the operation I think, which was yesterday. On operation day I was in the hospital for 7:15am, and eventually had the op at 1:00pm. I was in surgery for around 50 minutes. I had to stay in hospital for another 4 hours for BP tests etc. I saw the surgeon and he told me how the op had gone and about the 'shredded' tendon. I'm back again in two weeks for my first assessment. I currently have a sling on that pretty much immobilises my shoulder, I can use my forearm and hand a little. I've been told I should have the sling off in 4 - 6 weeks. Although there are a few rehab 'exercises' I can do on it at the moment my proper rehab starts when the sling comes off. The surgeon also said if I do any more overhead work I risk tearing the same tendon on my left shoulder, but any work below shoulder height should be ok. I'm taking this to mean I will be able to bench again  I'll change the way I train though I think. Once my RC tendon heals he said it should be as strong as it used to be, and they shaved the bone to stop it happening again. For it to fully heal takes a long time though, 6 - 9 months by the sound of it.I'll try to keep this updated with my progress. Currently it's very sore although the pain relief I have is excellent, some type of codine, can't remember the name right now. | ||
| VanillaGorilla | | ... | 24-11-2013 @ 11:00 |
 the UK's leading expert in bio mechanics Member 1973, 7379 posts | Best of luck with the recovery mate, make sure you rehab it properly and it sounds like you should be good! | ||
| Bim | | ... | 24-11-2013 @ 14:46 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | VanillaGorilla said:Best of luck with the recovery mate, make sure you rehab it properly and it sounds like you should be good! Thanks! Going to stick to rehab 100% and hopefully it will be sorted in time. | ||
| walker | | ... | 27-11-2013 @ 20:26 |
 Does not need Advice, knows everything. Member 3505, 3510 posts SQ 295, BP 182.5, DL 290767.5 kgs @ 105kgs Eq | That's s**t news mate, your benching was going great this year. Hopefully recovery will be quick. | ||
| Bim | | ... | 27-11-2013 @ 23:23 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | walker said:That's s**t news mate, your benching was going great this year. Hopefully recovery will be quick. Yep, just unlucky I guess. I was well pissed off when it happened, but on the plus side my deads have improved a lot. Just can't wait to get back in the gym again now, feeling fresh and ready to go apart from the obvious. Day 4 The last three days have been pretty much the same, just pain control and having to do stuff one handed. Sleep hasn't been too bad as I've been taking Codine before I go to bed and it pretty much knocks me out. Got my first date with the physio through today, a week Friday, so 13 days after the op. | ||
| VinnyJones | | ... | 29-11-2013 @ 16:53 |
 Who said it's hardcore? Member 3896, 847 posts SQ 265, BP 150, DL 320735.0 kgs @ 128kgs UnEq | Will be following this log with great interest and can only wish you well with your recovery mate. | ||
| Bim | | ... | 29-11-2013 @ 21:54 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | VinnyJones said:Will be following this log with great interest and can only wish you well with your recovery mate. Cheers, and good luck with yours mate! Day six I started to be able to cut down on pain medication yesterday. I've been taking 2x30mg Codine every 6 hours, so midnight, 6am, 12pm, 6pm. Skipped the 6am and 12pm ones yesterday and managed to function through the day ok. Today I'm only going to be taking them at midnight. Glad I am able to cut down on them to be honest as I am feeling mild withdrawal effects already. Apart from that I've got an appointment with the surgeon next Wednesday where I think I'm having the cut redressed and he'll be assessing what I'll be doing to best help recovery. | ||
| Bim | | ... | 03-12-2013 @ 11:09 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Day 10 Down to 16st 7lbs (105kg) this morning from 17st 3lbs (109.5kg). A lot of water loss I guess, but some muscle and flab as well. Not too bothered about dropping it at the moment as I know I'll throw it back on once I'm training again. Don't think I've been much under this weight for about 6 years though. Back on 2x2 codine a day, the pain isn't too bad, it just gets a bit relentless after a while. If I want to be able to work and sleep properly this is the minimum I can get away with at the moment. Seeing the surgeon tomorrow, so hopefully will be finding out how long I have to keep the sling on for, and I think he'll be changing the dressing. I haven't even seen my wound yet  | ||
| Bim | | ... | 07-12-2013 @ 21:11 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Day 14 Weight 16st 6lbs / 104kg Saw the surgeon 3 days ago and had the dressing taken off. Looks pretty clean and has healed well, I can leave it open now, it just looks like about a 3 inch cut, the shoulder is still quite swollen. Pain has gradually been getting less during the day time, but worse at night. Overall it's feeling quite a bit less fragile than it was, and I take my arm out of the sling a fair bit now, although I still can't lift the arm at all in any direction. Had physio for the first time yesterday. Just got a couple of new exercises to do, and was shown how to do them all properly. Takes about 6 - 7 minutes 5x a day to run through them. None of them are for strengthening yet, they are just for mobility, to stop me seizing up. I start the strengthening ones in about another 4 weeks, so 6 weeks after the operation. Lack of training is starting to piss me off big time. I've done a few sets of bodyweight lunges, some situps and a few other s**tty things like that. One of my main problems is not being able to drive, so I cant even get to the gym to see if I can do anything. I ordered a little present from SS Friday though, so once that gets here things might improve slightly. Next weeks objective - work out how to drive safely... | ||
| Bim | | ... | 10-12-2013 @ 10:47 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Day 17 More of the same really, down to just taking 2 codine before bed most days now. Back to the physio tomorrow again, I have a fair bit more movement in my arm now and I can move it on it's own a bit. Weight is down to 16st 4lbs - 103.5kg | ||
| Appetite | | ... | 11-12-2013 @ 16:39 |
 Let do this. Member 3512, 2473 posts SQ 200, BP 140, DL 252.5592.5 kgs @ 80kgs UnEq | Nice to see things moving, albiet frustratingly slowly. Christmas should help reverse some of that weight loss anyway. | ||
| Bim | | ... | 12-12-2013 @ 10:26 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 12.12.2013 @ 10:27 AM by Bim Day 19Appetite said:Nice to see things moving, albiet frustratingly slowly. Christmas should help reverse some of that weight loss anyway. Yes mate, and to be honest I'm not too bothered about the weight loss. I know from past experience as soon as I start training hard again the weight I've lost will go back on quick if I want it to. I got a GHR machine from SS on Monday which is great. I can use it without any problems to the shoulder so have been hammering out about 4 - 5 sets a day on that, got 4x10 yesterday spread throughout the day. Had physio yesterday, all is going well and I got a few more exercises to do. They are all very easy mobility stuff but it's good to be able to do more stuff. It takes about 10 minutes 5x a day now. I'm nearly at the three week mark now and I've been told several times that at six weeks as well as the mobility stuff the strengthening starts. Weight 16st 3lbs - 103kg | ||
| Thing | | ... | 12-12-2013 @ 12:14 |
 a large fingered spastic that demolishes plant Member 89, 31706 posts SQ 260, BP 220, DL 290770.0 kgs @ 142kgs UnEq | good to see your recovery is going well. | ||
| wellies | | ... | 12-12-2013 @ 23:41 |
Member 3447, 516 posts SQ 320, BP 180, DL 300800.0 kgs @ 115kgs UnEq | I did something similar apart from I tore the supra and infra. I didn't let it heal properly and ended up snapping all the ligaments that hold the ac joint together, so now my collar bone sits a 1" higher than my shoulder and moves about. | ||
| Bim | | ... | 06-01-2014 @ 23:03 |
6:19.WTF Member 3359, 3677 posts SQ 250, BP 210, DL 295755.0 kgs @ 89kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 06.01.2014 @ 23:10 PM by Bim Thanks Thing.6 weeks post op Finally got rid of the sling a couple of days ago. I'm starting to do more stretching now as part of my physio. Takes about 1 1/2 hours a day which is a getting a bit much, but I'm keeping on top of it. It's making a fair bit of difference, I'm still a way off full movement, but it's improved a lot. Managed a couple of steady training sessions just before xmas, and started back again properly today. Managed to get under a squat bar with a bit of a fight, so squats are back on again. Deads feel great, no stress at all on the shoulder, holding back a lot on them though as the last thing I want to do is screw myself. Back at the physio in 2 weeks, hopefully to start proper strengthening stuff on the shoulder. Weight, 16st 4lbs, been this for a few weeks, now I'm back training it should be going up again. | ||