Thanks very much for the reply. You described my problem precisely. I trust your advise and opinion more than my PT, PA and surgeon. Thanks again.
bill
what do you mean by not feeling well? are you in a lot of pain? most folks don't feel "normal" for 6-12 months.
I felt better before the repair as well - I was able to play volleyball right up until my surgery, even with a complete RC tear, biceps anchor tear, and a labrum tear. my injuries had built up over several years, so i guess i just got used to compensating. but it was months after surgery before i felt as functional as i was before surgery.
unfortch, x-ray or MRI might not show injury to the repair. i had an mri at 5.5 months, and it was unremarkable. but i had this ongoing pulling sensation at the front of the shoulder whenever i lifted my arm to the front. not painful, it felt more like something restricting the movement; the spot was also tender to the touch. this had been present since around six weeks. but i was otherwise improving. due to my ongoing symptoms at 8 months, my doc performed another arthroscopy to see what was wrong. turned out the front anchor had pulled out, and was causing my symptoms. my doc had to do a full revision repair.
i don't think my situation is the norm. i wouldn't worry about reinjury unless you're in a lot of pain or you have symptoms that don't improve with time. you're still pretty early in your recovery.
So, you had to go through it all over again!? Or, did the repair take first before the anchor pulled out? Sorry to hear that either way. I had the same experience, was not in terrible pain before, hurt more after.
sadly, I had a revision surgery eight months after my first surgery. i'm almost 3 weeks out from the second surgery. neither my PT nor my doc thought anything was really wrong because i was strong with full ROM. we were hoping it was just some resistant scar tissue that he could clear out, but when my doc got in there both anchors were loose.
Thanks very much for your reply. At 9 weeks out I have the same symptom as you "ongoing pulling sensation at the front of the shoulder." However with significant ache and occasional sharp pain. I as well built this injury up over the years in the gym. I feel worse after PT. Thank you for explaining that it is early in my recovery. I'll keep the same schedule as you as far as if I do not see improvement (i.e., significant) at 8 months I'll visit the surgeon. Hope you are doing well.
bill
hi. One more question: Have you had any success with icing the area?
thx
I find ice helps but I'm only 6 weeks post op. Can hardly wait for the PT!
The anchors can come loose? For some reason I thought the actually dissolved over time?
Icing didn't help me. if the pulling sensation continues, keep telling your PT and surgeon; you don't have to wait. because i also had a biceps tear repaired as well as biceps tenodesis with the initial surgery, i mistakenly thought that maybe that was the cause of my symptoms, which were located near where the biceps inserts into the shoulder. i wasn't in significant pain, so i guess i was hoping nothing was really wrong.
in hindsight, i wish i had been more persistent and vocal, especially since the symptoms remained for so long. i still would have needed the second surgery, but maybe i could have had it sooner. the problem is that medical professionals tend to dismiss subjective complaints early on in the recovery process.
anchors can come out early on. i believe mine loosened at 4-5 weeks. i think it takes months (3-6?) before the anchors are absorbed into the bone.
moral of the story - be very careful during the first few months.
Anchors can come out, or things tear, specially if you do something they told you not to do. Like weights, etc. Things are very breakable the first 8 weeks or so. Doctor told me my anchors take 2 years to dissolve, but they are all different. No matter what, there can be all sorts of sensations and pains many many months on in from reading the posts here, some are still in pain at a year. Kambiri is right - "be very careful during the first few months". I babied mine. Of course, I am weaker than some who took risks, but I prefer not doing it again! Whether or not that will happen, we shall see.
I have voiced my concerns to the PT and Physicians Assistant concerning pulling sensation and pain. I too was eager to get PT going as well. But it seems my opinion is not that of a professional one and they know what they are talking about. I do recognize their experience. However, you and you only know your body and how it's feeling in my opinion. I feel my putting in my two cents at times frustrates the PT and PA. I don't know why. I have a high pain ceiling so it's not from simply complaining. Good luck in PT.
My sling comes off today. I start massage therapy tomorrow with a licensed medical massage therapist. Luckily I grew up with a guy. I still want to chew off my arm the day after physical therapy. I don't know when that will stop. I also don't think that laser therapy is helping me. My two worst days were after laser therapy.
William, how are you feeling? Any improvement?
hi kamibri. Not so well. It seems at least once a day I do something that bothers it. I just finished 6 weeks of physical therapy. Each time I left the facility I felt worse. I get intermittent sharp pains. I have scheduled an appointment with the surgeon (i.e., finally going to get a chance to talk to him) I'll see what he says and give you a ring. Thanks for checking in.
bill
I am sorry to hear that, but, I still think that's normal. I am now on week 12, and, the pain is still there, and it's expected to be for a few more months at least. I only took 2 rounds of PT, doctor has released me to be on my own since I do the work. If I try to raise paper shades in our house, it hurts. It pulls. But it's going to do that for a while yet. Orthopedic says that is mostly due to lack of muscle. As strength increases, the joint is more stable and the muscle stresses less. So, in other words, every week of painful exercise = less pain the next week.
But, when I was at 6 weeks of PT, I hurt very badly as well. Just knowing that the pain in this rare case is good for me, I do it anyway, despite the pain. I intentionally use my right arm to put dishes up, shades, whatever. My massage therapist, who I had not seen in 12 weeks, first thing she said, boy have you lost muscle! And she's right. I do have 95% of my range of motion back at last, though, a few weeks back I was not close, so, it does improve.
Thanks for the response. I’m three months out. I have not had the same progress as you. When I do light weights in the gym I feel strong and fine; after is the problem. I keep thinking I damaged the anchors hopefully i’ll Find out soon. Thanks again
What was original surgery
After is the problem for me as well. It's because the muscles are easily exhausted. I feel fine also at the gym, though I can't do anywhere remotely near the weight I use to yet. The next day is generally awful. My shoulder blade, my inside bicep, the connection point outside mid bicep, even my forearm and sometimes wrist feel bad or sore or very sore. Sometimes restless, I have to massage my arm just to stop from going crazy. But it's gotten better as the weeks have gone on, but right now as I type this on week 12, my arm is aching a bit. And I am going to go outside at 95 degrees and unscrew and screw in some light bulbs above my head with my bad arm just to do more "exercise". I've starting driving with my bad arm for the most part when not in traffic.
It's not pleasant at all. However, some things if I recall back I can tell are much better than a month ago. Some things I could not possibly do a month ago If you are doing the daily work, which amounted to 2.5 hours a day average for me (5 hours on PT day), then, you should expect to be making progress.