However, it is important to realize that it may not make your shoulder feel 100% normal again. Research studies have shown that one year after surgery patients will have shoulder function which is about 80% of normal (see the attached graph from a publication in JBJS).
Most patients who have had rotator cuff surgery will tell you that it takes about nine months before the shoulder feels completely normal.
Recovery and return to work after a rotator cuff repair can be a very long process. The ultimate recovery of normal strength can take 6-10 months depending on the size of the tear. Recovery is a long process in order to allow the rotator cuff to heal.
This is a question I am asked frequently. Unfortunately if a work injury is severe enough to require surgical treatment, then it is highly unlikely that we will ever reach that gold standard 100% recovery. One of the problems we face in orthopaedics is that some human tissues have limited or no regenerative capacity.
Rotator cuff surgery has more than a 95% success rate for small tears. For two tendon tears, the success rate is still greater than 70%. Untreated tears tend to get bigger, so it is best to repair tears while they are small.
On-The-Job Rotator Cuff Injuries Can Mean the End of your Career. Workers who have jobs requiring repetitive movement sometimes suffer what is known as a rotator cuff injury.
Over time, there may be pain at rest or at night, such as when lying on the affected shoulder. You may have weakness and loss of motion when raising the arm above your head. Your shoulder can feel stiff with lifting or movement. It may become more difficult to place the arm behind your back.
Depending on factors such as age, activity level, general health, and lifestyle habits, some individuals may even be able to enjoy improved mobility and reduced pain for 20 years or more following their replacement surgery. According to the latest statistics, over 92 percent of shoulder replacements last 10 years.
Shoulder surgery may relieve some pain and weakness and make it easier to move your shoulder. But it may not restore full strength to your shoulder.
For most people, shoulder pain will improve over time with appropriate, conservative treatment. However in some cases surgery may be required. The work that you have already done to try and resolve your shoulder pain (such as physiotherapy) is important when facing shoulder surgery.
A few tips for you: consider taking a mild pain medication prior to sex, consider stretching your muscles, use plenty of extra pillows for support, pick a time when neither of you are tired, and most importantly, know your limitations.
If pain persists following surgery, it is typically the result a damaged nerve. The other possibility is advanced shoulder disease which does not respond to conservative options and surgery is not recommended. In this case modulation of the primary nerves responsible for shoulder sensation can be an answer.
By four to six months after surgery, your healing will be close to complete, but with ongoing physical therapy, you may notice that improvements continue for another half year beyond that. Returning to normal life after rotator cuff repair surgery is a gradual process.
If you have already gone through rotator cuff surgery, the last thing you want to think about is doing it all over again. Unfortunately, many patients do suffer tears of the same tendons that caused them to need surgery in the first place.
Persistent pain, loss of function and shoulder movement several months following surgical repair is usually an indication of a recurrent rotator cuff tear. Sometimes, recurrent tears are asymptomatic and show up during your periodic follow-up visits to your doctor.
You should not do any reaching, lifting, pushing, or pulling with your shoulder during the first six weeks after surgery. You should not reach behind your back with the operative arm. You may remove your arm from the sling to bend and straighten your elbow and to move your fingers several times a day.
Shoulder replacement surgery has some risks. They include: Infection and problems with wound healing. Injury to the nerves or blood vessels of the shoulder.
Patients with “well-balanced” massive rotator cuff tears may still have good active motion and be able to perform their activities of daily living. This is usually achieved through balanced force coupling across the glenohumeral joint (intact subscapularis and teres minor) and recruitment of the deltoid muscle.
Possible Surgical Complications
Total shoulder replacement is a very successful operation and the 10 year survival rate is up to 90 percent.
One of the most common problems after shoulder surgery is stiffness of the shoulder joint. For some surgical procedures, a period of time of immobilization is necessary to allow for adequate healing. However, immobilization of the joint can also cause patients to develop a condition called a frozen shoulder.
Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery to treat shoulder problems, including shoulder impingement and rotator cuff tears. The procedure usually takes less than an hour. Many people can go back to work or school in a few days. For more complex surgeries, recovery may take longer.
A severe rotator cuff tear can lead to a permanent loss in a person's range of motion. When a person's ability to move their arm or shoulder is limited or lost, they may not be able to perform the same tasks they were capable of before their rotator cuff injury.
Tears that develop slowly due to overuse may also cause pain and arm weakness. You may have pain in the shoulder when you lift your arm, or pain that moves down your arm. At first, the pain may be mild and present only when lifting your arm over your head, such as reaching into a cupboard.
Without treatment, rotator cuff problems may lead to permanent loss of motion or weakness of the shoulder joint.