Will be following. DH has an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow, MRI shows a small tear and he’s pretty sure he has arthritis as he did with his hip. So we will be preparing for the inevitable. DD had it a few years back and it did pretty much restrict her from lifting for several weeks, plus the PT to gain back the mobility.

Make sure you have button up shirts. You won’t be able to dry your own hair, so can your DH help with that? Can you shampoo your own with one hand? I’m pretty sure you should sleep on your back for a couple of days, maybe elevated a little if possible. I am just thinking of things I recall DD did on her own. And best of luck to you!

My daughter's live in friend just had that rotator cuff surgery 2 days ago. I just called her to ask her advice for you. It is her right (dominate) arm so it is even harder than if it were her left. Yes, you will be pretty much '"hogtied" for a few weeks, and total recuperation, her surgeon told her will take about a year. Sleeping on your back and elevated a little will be the way to go for a time.

And she considers an ice therapy machine a must. It helps greatly to relieve her pain and also lessens any inflammation that would normally occur in the first couple days after surgery. You would need someone to do all the work involved with taking care of and hooking it up for you. She is lucky, my daughter is a nurse, and is taking care of all her needs.

Best of luck to you!

I'll second the ice machine. DS had one when he had major repair to his knee and it really does help keep swelling down. Even after his PT he would come home and use it for an hour or so.

I slept in a recliner for 3-4 months after my surgery. It took about a full year for complete recovery. Well worth it in the long run.

RE - the ice machine. My physio has one and when I tore the ligaments in my ankle a couple of years ago it really was a great addition to the overall recovery. Way better than using frozen peas.

No advice, just ((((hugs))) for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery.

I'm sorry to be negative, but I heard something on the radio recently that said this particular surgery doesn't do much, if anything. I had a relative who went through it and it helped with movement only a little. I'm sorry to write this if you are already set; I hope you did some research.

DH has had both shoulders done. Yes, use the ice machine. He slept in a recliner for a few days, FAITHFULLY did his PT exercises, and is back to playing singles tennis multiple times per week. ( He is 70).

As was mentioned you will need help with everything at first. Wear elastic waist pants and button down shirts. DH was doing very well after about 6 weeks. He is very happy that he had the surgery.

Thanks all, for taking the time to be so helpful. I've got a call in to my doctor's nurse in order to have some questions answered. I don't feel like I've been properly prepared for the recovery stage.

I vividly remember how important an ice machine was to my recovery after ACL surgery several years ago. We are going to look into that, though we have several good sized gel pads.

sjerin, what you heard on the radio is only half true. In some cases, rotator cuff repair surgery is the only way facilitate recovery. Mine is one of those cases; it will only get worse without intervention.

Rhizo, my daughter, who passed away 12 years ago was a Physical Therapist. She had both knees replaced before age 40 due to rheumatoid arthritis. She said that of all the joint surgeries, shoulder repair of any type was the most difficult to recover fully from. The patient's dedication and ability to get through all the necessary therapy was the most important in achieving the best possible outcome.

And those gel pads won't give you the as good a complete coverage as the ice therapy machine with it's more form fitting pads. Go for a machine.

Best wishes and good luck for a quick and successful recovery.

I haven't had the surgery, but you have my best wishes, Rhizo. Please keep us posted.

Wishing you the best, Rhizo. Years ago someone gave the their ice gizmo — no machine, but an ice water (w ice cubes) pouch, shoulder cuff and easy to put on Velcro straps. It works via gravity — ice cold water enters the shoulder cuff. I’ve jury rigged it for ankle or knee. Much better than an ice gel pack as it surrounds.

For anyone NOT about to have surgery, there are YouTube videos. It is not pretty surgery, Rhizo, so you may be better off not knowing or seeing the details. IIRC some commenters remarked on recovery and so on. Maybe some mate or family member can view it for you (screen it?) and / or glean any helpful comments. IIRC the video by the ?Indian surgeon was well done.

Best wishes!

My husband is still recovering from his surgery on 2/15. He used the ice machine for the first week on his shoulder as well as wearing compression wraps on his calves. They were battery operated and compressed on and off similar to a blood pressure cuff. This is to prevent blood clots. He is still sleeping in the recliner but is no longer needing his sling. He does prop it up on pillows. Button down shirts are best. He just had his followup appt and it went well. With the surgery he was given a nerve block and he wasn’t able to feel his shoulder for 16 hours. He had pain meds which he took for a couple days. He didn’t like the way it made him feel. He also took something for nerve pain. Do be prepared for possible constipation. He is now sore but only taking Tylenol. Hoping this info helps and hope your recovery goes smoothly. Oh, he also needed a little help with showering and drying off.

My dad has had surgery on his shoulder twice now.

The first time, in 2005, he fell 20+ feet and landed on his shoulder and his head "bounced".

The traumatic brain injury was longer lasting and more trouble over all, but in the immediacy, the shoulder damage/repair/ recuperation was quite difficult.

He had one of those ice systems that we had to hook up for him.

He slept in the recliner for several weeks and was very much "hog-tied" and needed daily assistance.

His second surgery was this past December. Again the ice machine was used, and again he slept in the recliner for a few weeks.

It is and will be an absolute pain in the @ss but the end results will be worth it!!

You've all been a huge help! I cannot tell you how much better prepared I feel. I am taking some comfort in the fact that my arthroscopic surgery is an outpatient procedure and that I'll be back home by lunch. Probably.

My DH had a hip replacement a few years ago and decided (on his own) to invest in a lift recliner. It is by far, the most comfortable piece of furniture in the room, if not the most beautiful. It was invaluable for his recuperation and will be for mine, too. It's very comfortable to sleep in, has countless possible positions and is supportive of the whole body.

We are getting an ice therapy machine and I've added a few pieces of clothing, button front items are not something that I have much of. I needed new PJs, anyway.

Think that I'll get a haircut this week. If shorter, it won't need round brush styling in order to look cute.

I spent six weeks with my sister ( age 71) who had rotator cuff surgery at Duke. She had a donor graft so that her own tendon didn’t have to be stretched as much. That helped with pain and her recovery.

The ice machine helped a lot, and she had a TENS unit that she used faithfully. She also slept in a lift recliner and had physical therapy twice a week.

The one thing that helped a lot was a shirt she got on Amazon that had Velcro closure at the shoulder and down the sides. Otherwise she would have had to struggle getting in and out of clothes and the ice machine. I saw them on Etsy with snaps, but hers were Velcro. You might want to google “surgery shirt” or lrotator cuff shirt” or something similar.

You really need someone to help you take the ice machine on and off, load and empty the ice machine, place the TENS unit patches, and drive you back and forth to therapy. The whole thing was a hassle, but thankfully, not too painful ( didn’t need the prescription meds after a day, only Tylenol). Surgery was successful, and after five months my sister has full use of her arm and shoulder.

Good luck!

I'm so grateful to have an active, retired husband who is more than willing to be a caregiver for me in the upcoming weeks. I honestly don't see why I would need a velcro fastened shirt. I can easily get into a loose t-shirt without budging my arm as long as I have help.

I don't do well with narcotics and though I will have my prescription filled, I'm planning on trying to use OTC options, if possible. I'm not particularly worried about dealing with the pain, will be prepared to take what is needed to keep me moving.

My husband was in a car accident 6 years ago. He had two stretched muscles in his RC, and two torn muscles. The surgery went as planned, but the surgeon took an extra peek because MRI's can lie and my husbands lied real big. He also tore the muscle that attaches to the upper arm, right off........ So his surgery took longer than expected. The recovery went exactly as we were told. He was sent home in the sling with a "cushion" that went between his sling and body. It all velcros together. He was also given a ice machine. (it was a WCB injury so we didn't pay for a thing). He wore the sling for six weeks, even sleeping in it. Went to physical therapy for six weeks. His range of motion is probably 90% of what it was before the injury.