Pre and post Arthroscopic Advice Needed

[2GetBig]

Next month I’ll be going in for arthroscopy to repair my rotator cuff; an existing tear and to remove a painful bone spur. I would be grateful for any brothers who have had arthroscopic surgery, and ask for your pre and post-operation coaching.

I’m especially interested in hearing what worked for you regarding healing time, supplementation cycle you did/ or did not use pre and post-op to assist healing time, pro’s/cons, and any other suggestions that will assist in successful healing.
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"Life is a journey. Share your experience with others; touch, move, and inspire! Go create nothing less than a totally great Journey."

[archive_Killer]

Do you happen to know if the tear is complete (rupture) or partial? Sounds like it is partial to me as if it was complete they would operate ASAP.

Start strengthening the rotator cuff, rhomboids, and mid trap now. Also work on flexibility.

Surgery will just be a couple holes (portals) in the front and back of your shoulder. You will be in a sling when you wake up. You may, depending on Doc and/or insurance, have a cryocuff on your shoulder. It is a pad that fills with ice cold water that provides cold and compression to the shoulder.

You do not have to wait for any healing (as in screws or grafts) so your rehab won't be bad. You'll start with ROM stuff and add in strength/endurance as tolerated. Pain will be your only enemy. I was back (after getting rotator and cartlidge, glenoid labrum, repaired)in about 8 weeks.

On the lighter side, when doing my rehab (self rehab) I got a little aggressive around 1 week post op when doing "wall crawls" (walking fingers up wall to increase ROM) and my portals split open and blood was spirting like a geyser. I was able to butterfly them shut, so I didn't need more stiches.

Oh, I was clean at the time. I don't think you'll really need juice to increase healing time, cuz there is nothing to heal

[archive_Killer]

For a pretty good read on the rotator cuff go to www.fit-pro.com/rotatorcuff (http://www.fit-pro.com/rotatorcuff)

[2GetBig]

...I have a partial tear and a large bone spur that "cuts" into the muscle and make shoulder workouts and lifting very painfull. They plan to go in with 3 holes to complete the work.

Thanks very much for the help. Will keep ya posted post-op.

"Life is a journey. Share your experience with others; touch, move, and inspire! Go create nothing less than a totally great Journey."

[wrj]

I've had open shoulder stabilization of the left shoulder to repair a bankhart lesion and to stop the the resulting hills-sacs lesion from enlarging. I found the ROM cam quickly for me. However I made the mistake of starting a cycle to early after the surgery and as a result damaged the repair a bit. I would suggest not to cycle anything heavy but maybe a maintenance doseage of deca (200mg/wk) for lubrication. Good luck, although I'm sure with research and care you'll be fine.

[2GetBig]

Thanks Wrj for the feedback - will let you know how it goes next week.

"Life is a journey. Share your experience with others; touch, move, and inspire! Go create nothing less than a totally great Journey."

[hooker]

I have had both shoulders operated on. My advice is to begin going to the gym as soon as possible. Do ALL of the rehab excercises they tell you to at least 2-3x a day...ice it...and do the excercises again. I went to the gym and did some light leg extentions and basically anything I could do, all the day after my shoulder was scoped.
I found that my 2 surgeries were most aided by a positive attitude and a strong desire to comeback from the injury even stronger than I was. My friend who had the same 2 injuries (and the same 2 surgeries as well) took between 2 and 5 times as long as I did to get back to where he was before the surgeries. The only difference was our attitudes...he actually has better genetics but took longer to revover. Keep a positive attitude and stay hungry to get back in shape and you'll be fine.

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1988

[wrj]

I know it's been quite some time.......but how'd it go for you?