# I'm having arthroscopic shoulder surgery. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 23, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374 "2011-02-23T19:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/21 "2013-08-11T19:42:51Z")
> [@peglomaniac](#): > > I had the same surgery (remove bone spurs) done on May 24, 2013. It is now August 10, 2013 and I still have limited range of motion in my shoulder. It is getting much better, and I know without a doubt that if I was more dedicated to my physio therapy it would be even better. I got married in July though, and it was just impossible to do everything, so the exercises got largely ignored for a couple of weeks. > > I was going in for a ‘torn tendon’ which is what the ultra sound diagnosis was. Before I went in for the surgery, pre op told me they often don’t know exactly what to expect until they go in. She said if I wake up in a thick padded sling, it meant they did some ‘sewing’ and I’d have to wear that sling for 6 weeks. If I woke up in the mesh one, no sewing had been done, and I could be out of my sling in 2 weeks. I was. :). > > So, that meant I did NOT have a torn tendon, just the bone spurs. I actually think they had to subluxate my shoulder to do the scraping, and I believe that is why it is still so sore. > > It is still VERY sore depending on how I move it. It was probably 3 weeks till I could floss my teeth, 4 weeks till I could put in my contacts, and 5 or more till I could wash my hair with both hands. I still, 11 weeks later, cannot lift my arm all the way up or do up my bra in the back without seriously noticing the pain caused by the limited range of motion. Mind you, I am 53 years old too… but pretty healthy other wise, don’t smoke, not overweight etc. and I did heal very well and super fast from an ankle surgery two years ago. If I don’t move my shoulder beyond its comfort zone, it does not hurt at all. But of course I have to push it, just to get the range of motion back, so I press on 🙂 > > The physio therapist told me to expect 3 - 6 months for it to heal completely, so I feel I am well on track. The good news is that the initial pain (described as impingement and happening when you reach out the window for your coffee cup which is exactly what I was also experiencing) is gone :). > > About pain meds, be aware of how bloody addictive they are. I have been opposed to drugs all my life, and tragically saw someone die of an OD on properly prescribed pain meds. They can be just too much for some people. They have their place, and I took mine for about 3 days, thats it! I’d rather have a pain than an addiction, which is pain plus misery. Also the pain meds I was on (codeine) is so constipating that was another disaster. Do your research, and good luck to anyone out there about to have this surgery. 🙂 Neglecting physical therapy now is likely to have severe consequences as it’s something you need to do WHILE the shoulder is knitting itself back together. Waiting until later usually results in much less effective overall rehab and more limited range of recovered motion. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/22 "2013-08-11T21:05:21Z")
DO YOUR PT. Two years post-surgery, I would say that my shoulder is still not quite 100% - at this point I guess it never will be - but I’d say it’s at least 90%. I mostly have trouble with it if I do any sharp, sudden movements, or if I’ve been in a car for too long during the day. (The constant up-and-down jostling seems to cause some inflammation.) That said, I just got back from a beach vacation and was able to swim reasonably well, which is something I absolutely could not do pre-surgery or even for about a year post-surgery. I am totally convinced that doing regular PT is what helped me get back to this point. ---
**Author:** ![commonesnes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@commonesnes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commonesnes)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/23 "2013-09-22T20:12:10Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > DO YOUR PT. > > Two years post-surgery, I would say that my shoulder is still not quite 100% - at this point I guess it never will be - but I’d say it’s at least 90%. I mostly have trouble with it if I do any sharp, sudden movements, or if I’ve been in a car for too long during the day. (The constant up-and-down jostling seems to cause some inflammation.) That said, I just got back from a beach vacation and was able to swim reasonably well, which is something I absolutely could not do pre-surgery or even for about a year post-surgery. I am totally convinced that doing regular PT is what helped me get back to this point. When you say 90% out of 100% are you referring to 100% of its functionality before your injury/condition developed or 100% pre surgery? If the former, can you utilitze the shoulder to exercise,i.e., lift weights, play basketball, etc…? ---
**Author:** ![jerseyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@jerseyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseyboy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/24 "2013-10-01T02:01:26Z")
I had bone spurs removed from my shoulder one week ago. I was only in a sling for about 2 days and have already started pt. Overall, I am surprised at how good my shoulder feels after a week. I would estimate I have about 50% of range of motion back with minimal pain. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/25 "2013-10-01T02:06:04Z")
> [@commonesnes](#): > > When you say 90% out of 100% are you referring to 100% of its functionality before your injury/condition developed or 100% pre surgery? If the former, can you utilitze the shoulder to exercise,i.e., lift weights, play basketball, etc…? The former. I was never much for sports, so I can’t really compare there, but yes, I can lift weights, swim, etc. I just have to be careful because certain sharp, jarring motions are still painful. My range of motion is great, though. ---
**Author:** ![ithurts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d78d45/32.png) [@ithurts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ithurts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/26 "2013-10-14T20:54:11Z")
I’ve had surgery for a complete rupture (going in, they said it was only a tear). I had been diagnosed for 24 years with Rheumatoid Arthritis when it had been my shoulder all along causing my whole body to go out of balance. We even sold our nice two-story home as I could no longer climb the stairs nor care for it. I can tell you just when it ruptured too. I went to many doctors in several states over the 24-year period for the pain in my back, then shoulder, then hip, then knee… I finally went to an orthopedic doc because I thought I may have a torn meniscus and that’s why my knee hurt so bad…nope, it was a 24-year old shoulder rupture. Anyway, I had a 4-hour surgery, they get the muscle manipulated from my back, work it back into place, had to cut through my bicep to re-attach it…and I was given a return to work slip of 3-5 days. I am the office manager of a mid-size CPA firm and the only non-CPA. I do a lot of two-hand manipulation, carrying and digging into archived Banker boxes, our client binders are all 4-6" thick, lots of desk work…everything you can imagine other than to prepare a return. Three-five days?! So…I work 8-10 hours a day, go to PT three evenings a week after work, I’m driving 1.5 hours RT to-from work plus to PT…I’m a wreck, I cry at my desk because of the pain. I find I am taking my arm out of the sling to keep working and I just can’t handle it. It’s obvious I’m going to need a second surgery because now that my right arm is in a sling, my left one is telling me that it has issues too. It hurts like hell to turn the steering wheel with my left arm as well as other examples. I’m about to blow. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/27 "2013-10-14T21:10:55Z")
I broke the ball joint in right my shoulder a year and a half ago, in three places. Skiing accident. Ended up having three surgeries to correct, but should have been just three. The last one was to remove the titanium screw that was sticking out a few too many millimeters and was interfering with my rotator cuff. I would say that now I am back to about 97-98% of mobility from prior to the accident. I did about 12 weeks of physical therapy, but still do most of the stetching exercises. IF you don’t do the PT, don’t expect to get better. ---
**Author:** ![ithurts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d78d45/32.png) [@ithurts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ithurts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374/28 "2013-10-14T22:17:49Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I did about 12 weeks of physical therapy, but still do most of the stetching exercises. IF you don’t do the PT, don’t expect to get better. PT three times a week after a LONG work day - in my third week of an ordered 15 weeks. My therapist is astounded that I am back at work. She says I should be off 8-10 weeks minimum with this kind of surgery and longer with the type of work I must do. I confronted the doc’s office and they just glossed over. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-having-arthroscopic-shoulder-surgery/572374.md?page=1)