I am 6 weeks post rotator cuff/SAD/bicep tenodesis. Everything was going normal until today at 6 weeks when I was allowed to remove my sling. I slept fine and woke up with no pain. I got up, happily removed sling, went to bathroom, pulled up my pants and went to adjust pants by slightly reaching behind and got a stabbing, knifelike, cramping in my biceps. I went to lie in bed, struggled to put the sling back on...started walking to kitchen and the bicep started stabbing and cramping again. I almost passed out from the pain. I have called my Ortho (he was in surgery today) and sent e mail to my PT for advice and have not heard from either of them. I can do pendulums without pain and the shoulder flexion exercise carefully, but any bicep movement and it starts to cramp and stab at me. I am now scared that my arm will never get better and don't know how this good go from good to bad so quickly. Has this ever happened to anyone? I hope I hear back from my Dr tomorrow. I am really worried.
Hi ricochetred
I would try to keep anxiety in check although I appreciate that's easier said than done. Your arm has been virtually immobile for 6 weeks so any additional movement is new to it. I was in horrible pain at 6 weeks and continue to have pain also in biceps at 5 months! My surgeon/physio assure me I am doing great, ahead of the game but that this is normal.
Can you take NSAIDs, might be worth trying those in case it is inflamed.
Hope you get some replies but good luck, recovery is a long journey.
good wishes
christine
I'm 8 weeks post op today and According to my PT and doctor at 6 weeks it's unlikely I would re injur bicep or shoulder repairs unless I did something very drastic- hope that helps to ease your concerns. As far as the pain, my experience has been that the worst pain I've had was after I got out of sling at 6 weeks and started PT and trying to use arm. I cannot move arm behind my back at all still so likely you just upset the area but likely you didn't damage it. The pain with movement after being out of sling in my experience can be horrendous but if I ice rest and take ibuprofen if passes with time- a few hours to a day it can take me. Hope this helps and know you will get better and stronger and be pain free it just takes time- or so that's what they tell me!
So sorry to hear how you're feeling, I know it's tough but you'll get through it. Try not to over do it just because you feel a little better hang tough keep trying to contact your doctor if you're not feeling well, worse case go to the ER. Hope you feel better soon. It's been three weeks for me, I had my surgery Feb. 24th I didn't have a tear in my rotator cuff as the doctor thought I did. At least that's what the MRI indicated, instead there was some falsification that was scraping the tendon which was causing my pain so he cleared it out. But I did have issue with my bicep tendon. I had to wear my sling/immobilizer for two weeks. At my two week follow up the stitches came off and I scheduled my physical therapy sessions today is my third session. I was told by my doctor to wear my sling for two more weeks if I went out and about, but I really haven't been out much. Since I've been home I didn't need to wear the sling. So needless to say I'm coming along as best I can but find it hard moving my arm as before due to the fact it was in the sling nonstop for two weeks.
Hello there. Inhale and exhale, repeat...Yes. You are not alone. I have gone through this too. I am seven weeks out of surgery. I accidentally tore three of the r cuff muscle tendons; two completely off the humeral head. Sneaky black ice in the dark. If you are familiar with Charlie Brown and his Peanuts Gang, I flew like Charlie Brown when Lucy yanks the football away. Only my feet were higher, and I was coming down (back of the) head first. I reached down with my hand in an attempt to break the fall. The heel of my hand made contact with the frozen pavement as the force of the contact drove up through my wrist, elbow, shoulder. My shoulder dislocated ripping the three r cuff tendons (YUCK and HOLY COW!!). Eleven weeks and four days out from the injury (12/26/16). After my first PT, I thought OMG are the screws pulled out? Did the sutures come apart? Why is my bicep so painful. Why is the humeral head jutting out? My elbow, why is it screaming in pain intermittently? Tears streaming solely from the horrific pain. The sling with foam block? Bulking, cumbersome!?! Frustration and concern. Rx not strong enough to knock out the pain. Let's figure it out and process the situation. Deep sigh. It will be okay.Deep breath. Slow and steady. Let the bicep rest until your doctor checks it. Steady. Keep your wits. Let the eyes water when you need too. This is a difficult recovery, but you/we will make it. Good Luck, stay calm. Post an update. You will be okay!!.
I agree with the other posters here. I am about 5 months post op and have had a tendonesis like you. I didn't have your level of pain but coming out of that sling and doing the PT was faily brutal. Now I have about 90% range of movement and I am still doing some of the exercises. I can also do weights with curls (albeit light). Unless you've damaged something, which is unlikely, you'll be fine in the long run. I am 68 years old.
Sorry, my mistake! I had a tendonectomy not a tendonesis.
Thanks for the input and ecouragement. The PT responded via e mail and said don't push it with exercises and he'll see me Monday and the Dr has not called. The thing that really bothers me is that I had been walking in the house already a little without the sling and was doing fine with the PT exercises. It was pretty much business as usual, and I am no stranger to pain as I broke my neck and face 8 years ago in a cycle accident and had spinal cord injury. I am now 58 and I am also a PT...so this seemed way out of the ordinary type of pain for the little stretch that my arm got. At any rate, I am using the sling without the pillow now and the biceps belly feels like it's been mule kicked. If I flex when I'm already at 90 degrees it starts to cramp and stab but I can do very gentle flexion below 90. I'm just being very careful how I move my arm and avoiding intentional biceps contractions till I see the Dr on Tuesday. I know nothing will happen on the weekend so will just try to sit tight. Thanks again for comments...even though I'm a PT, I'm not a very good patient and I did not work with shoulder patients often as the OT's usually got them and I did home health for the last 21 years so usually see people in the first month after surgery when they are in the protection mode. Hope you all have a pain free weekend.
Take it easy. Let us know how you get on with the doc.
i am experiencing very similar pain. Mine started after a bad move while sleeping...wake up with a sceam and excruciating pain in my bicep. I am 6 weeks 2 days post op. I too am calling the OS this week and I am also going for my consultation with physio. let us know how you make out. good luck!
I hope your bicep is feeling better. It's been 5 days since the initial lightening bolt pain and cramp that set off the pain. Things seem to have settled down over the past 2 days. The biceps are still tender but not as irritable. I am feeling more confident to remove the sling during the day and just cradle my arm in pillows at night. I saw the PT this morning and he did not think I injured the surgery. Tomorrow I see the Dr. He had been away at a conference which explains his not calling back. I am just being careful with how I move . Good luck to you too!
thank you same to you. mine has subsided too ...but now my arm has large bumps. i had a few a couple weeks ago, went to the dr...has no idea what it is. not bites, or pimples. the size of a dime, red and some times itchy. Everyone that has looked at them is confused. they are only on the arm i had surgergy on. ????? besides that i did make a new appointment with the surgeon because of all the other pain and still have swelling.
Hang in there! Glad that you and ricochetred are doing better! Call the doctor's office tomorrow-speak to a nurse if possible. If no nurse ask that the doctor gives you a quick call. My ortho surgeon gave me his direct cell phone number. I had only used it once the night of the surgery when the saline was gushing out soaking everything. They forget to warn me about that. Anyhow back to you rashes? Spider bites? Did the doctor ace bandage your arm after surgery? Adhesive irritation? Hopefully, it is something simple. Does ice relieve the itch? Cold compresses? Hang in there!! It will get better. Post again after you find out what is causing the bumps.
It's been 3 1/2 weeks since my operation, I started PT last week and today I had my 4th session. I tell you my shoulder hurts after therapy especially after today's session. I'm beginning to wonder if I started PT too soon? I started therapy cause my doc said I could begin. My PT said my shoulder is more stiff then she'd like it to be in other words she thought my shoulder would be less loose more flexible. I try my best to do my exercises st home they gave me to do. But at today's session she had me use this pulley that attaches to the door so I can stretch my arm more. Well she did a number on me stretched me ect.. I was almost in tears. Had to take meds as soon as I got home. I'm now feeling a tightness in my bicep hurts when I try to stretch. I wonder if the PT did too much? I'm afraid now what if she did something that will make my surgery area worse or something. Anybody experienced this? Any advice
Hi Claudia, What procedures did you have done? Some Drs allow therapy to begin sooner than others and it depends on what you had done. Do you let your therapist know when she is putting you in pain? Usually the rule is to work in a "relatively" tolerable range of motion. Some PT's have more refined technique then others. I had one PT for my first 2 sessions and a different PT for my third session. I preferred how he handled my shoulder than the first one so asked to be changed to his schedule. I think it's important for therapist to honor patient's pain limits and important for patient to speak up if something feels like too much and tell them you need to be able to have some control. I have a hard time with the door pulleys. I didn't start them till 5 1/2 weeks. I told my therapist today that I have a hard time with the pulleys and he said all the exercises he gives me just gives me options to do a motion in more than one way. But I already knew that so I don't force myself to do something that really hurts. I don't believe in "no pain no gain." I prefer "no strain, no gain." I think range of motion can be finessed out of a joint rather than force. In fact, the body does not respond well to force. Gently massage or put pressure into your bicep. try to find a resting position that is comfortable and gradually increase the amount of extension to your comfort level while applying gentle pressure to the bicep to help it relax. It did take about 5 days for my bicep pain to subside. Sometimes a nerve will get stretched or scar tissue disturbed and it causes sorenesss after the session. But communicate with both the therapist and the Dr how you are feeling. I hope you start to feel better soon.
Ricochetred I go to therapy 3 x a week, two different therapist I don't care too much for the one I have on Mondays I tell her when in pain she just smiles I'm like I guess it supposed to hurt she says nothing. Stupid me I keep going to her thinking well she's the therapist she must know what she's doing. I mean she seems nice and all but she is a bit rough when she's "massaging" my shoulder. I have another session on Thursday with a different therapist I'll find out the days she's in and I'll adjust my schedule to her. As for what I had done it was thought that I had a tear in my rotator cuff at least that's what the MRI indicated but turned out it was calsification which was scraping my tendon that was causing my pain. So he cleared that out. As for my bicep I'm not sure of the name of the procedure can't remember but he said he had to work on the tendon in the bicep. I'm going to play it by ear I'm supposed to hear from the doc today I'll ask him as well. Thanks for the advice much appreciated. Oh one thing the PT told me is that I should take my med before going to therapy being that I was telling her how much it hurts I can't do that because the meds practically puts me to sleep. This is all new to me I've never had to do physical therapy.
In my opinion it's critical to have a PT you trust and are comfortable with. Don't be afraid to go to someone else. Thai is such an important part of recovery you need someone you can work with who is understanding and listens. That being said, in my experience it does hurt. I've cried during sessions, it's normal for many and part of the recovery. I'm usually in pain for a day after but it is helping me gain strength and ROM back. Good luck and hope you find a therapist you are comfortable with!
Thank you I sure hope so
I saw the Ortho today. The biceps are still sore but tolerable and have not actually spasmed in 3 days. He said the repair seems to be intact. He said that the tenodesis I had, where the tendon goes through the groove still, sometimes has irritation and soreness for a while. There are 2 types of common techniques for bicep tenodesis and one routes the bicep through the bicipital groove and the other is a subpectoral tenodesis where the bicep is pinned below the groove but requires an additional incision. I have also been able to get some additional PT outside of my provider which I will have to pay out of pocket. I am in the U.S. and have Kaiser and they only allow 1 PT visit a week. I feel that more is helpful, especially to have a PT work on releasing any scapular restrictions and other nearby problems that may interfere with regaining range of motion and strength including neck and back issues. I am definitely sore after 2 days of PT in a row, but i know in the long run it will be worth the discomfort.
Pleased to hear things have settled down.