The answer for each patient can vary slightly. The most typical length of time patients experience pain after rotator cuff surgery is six months. It’s at this point that many patients are able to return to many of their pre-surgery activities.
Physical therapists are a vital part of your recovery process after rotator cuff surgery. These specialists can help you learn tips to reduce how long you have pain after rotator cuff surgery. They can also create an individualized rehab plan intended to decrease your pain faster.
Three tips that can help decrease how long your pain lasts after rotator cuff surgery
A few of the tips your surgeon and physical therapist may offer for post-operative pain relief include:
- Wear your sling — Most patients are given a sling to wear after a rotator cuff surgery, and it’s important that you wear it. This device helps support the shoulder after surgery. It also keeps the shoulder in the best position for fast healing to occur.
- Be careful how you sleep — Sleeping can be especially tough after rotator cuff surgery. Staying partially upright while you sleep is often the most comfortable post-surgical sleeping position. You can achieve this position by sleeping in a recliner or by sleeping on a wedge pillow.
- Keep an eye out for complications — Post-operative infections and nerve damage are two complications that can occur after rotator cuff surgery. Although these complications aren’t common you should still keep an eye out for them. A prolonged fever could be a sign of infections. Nerve damage is often signaled by odd tingling or feelings of numbness in the arm or hand.
How can your physical therapist help decrease how long your pain lasts after rotator cuff surgery?
One answer to this question is they can build you a recovery plan that’s personalized to you. In many cases, such a plan can include therapy methods like:
- Manual therapy that can mobilize and manipulate the recovering shoulder joint and the surrounding soft tissue.
- Aquatic therapy intended to remove pressure from the shoulder during therapy movements.
- Blood flow moderation training designed to strengthen the muscles that support your shoulder.
- Virtual therapy sessions where you work with your physical therapist over a secure video feed.
- At-home care appointments where your physical therapist comes to your home to work with you.
Border Therapy Services can help reduce how long you’re in pain after rotator cuff surgery
Recently had rotator cuff surgery? Our Border Therapy Services team offers post-surgical rehab that can help you recover faster. We can start by doing a free screening of your shoulder to determine where you are in your recovery process. Then, our specialists can construct an individualized rehab plan designed to decrease your pain. Our plans can also help increase your shoulder strength, improve functional mobility and reduce the risks of future shoulder injuries.
Contact us today for more information about our post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment.