How long you can expect to have pain after rotator cuff surgery

Rotator cuff surgeries can put you out of commission and leave you feeling pain for quite a while. However, there are steps you can take to reduce how long you’re in pain after your surgery. 

This procedure is designed to repair damage to the rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that help you lift and move your arm. It’s estimated that by 2023 American surgeons will be performing more than 570,000 rotator cuff surgeries annually. A physical therapist can help you figure out how long you can expect to have pain after rotator cuff surgery. These specialists can also help you find ways to reduce the time you’re in pain. 

Typically recovery timeline for rotator cuff surgery patients

Every patient recovers from rotator cuff surgery slightly differently. This means that how long you can expect to have pain after rotator cuff surgery will be different from other patients. However, surgeons and physical therapists can set out a general timeline for your recovery. 

• Post-operation to six weeks — During this period, you’re likely to experience the most pain. Additionally, you will be asked not to move your arm to speed up recovery. 

• Six to 12 weeks post-op — After six weeks, you can typically start doing limited arm movements and working with a physical therapist. Many people’s resting pain will have decreased by this time. But you may still feel pain when moving your shoulder. 

• Three to six months post-op — Your physical therapist will usually start having you do exercises to strengthen your shoulder at this point in your recovery. In some cases, doing these movements may cause discomfort at first, but they shouldn’t cause serious pain.

Tips that can help reduce the time you’re in pain after rotator cuff surgery

There are several tips your physical therapist can give you that are geared toward helping you decrease your post-surgical pain as fast as possible. These tips might include: 

1. Go for pre-surgical therapy — Pre-surgical rehab, or pre-hab, is a type of therapy designed to prepare your body for surgery. Using it can help reduce your pain both before surgery and after your procedure. 

2. Follow all your surgeon’s instructions — Typically, your surgeon will give you instructions about your recovery prior to or immediately after your surgery. Following these instructions can help you avoid complications, like infections. Doing so can also help your body recover faster, which means you’ll be in pain for less time. 

3. Don’t skip post-surgical physical therapy — Physical therapy is a vital part of recovering from surgery. But some people might not think that it’s worth their time. Unfortunately, people who skip their post-surgical therapy tend to take longer to recover. As a result, you could end up dealing with pain for far longer than you’d like. 

SSOR offers post-surgical rehab that can help reduce your post-operative pain

Not sure where to turn to physical therapy that can shorten how long you’re in pain after rotator cuff surgery? Our team of SSOR physical therapists can help you find effective post-surgical rehab for your shoulder. We can do a free screening of your shoulder to determine where you are in your recovery process. Our therapists are also adept at building recovery plans that are personalized to an individual’s needs. We even offer top-notch pre-surgical rehab to help you prepare yourself for surgery. 

Contact us today for more information about our pre- and post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment.