What happens if you don’t have physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery?

A short answer to this question is nothing good. There are, of course, risks associated with any surgery. It’s also not uncommon for people to have post-surgical complications. 

Rotator cuff surgery isn’t performed as often as joint replacements and other procedures; still, it’s estimated that more than 460,000 Americans have this type of surgery annually. However, doing physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery can help you avoid several complications. 

Not doing physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery can lead to these complications

Complications after surgery aren’t completely unknown. Avoiding physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery can put you at higher risk of developing complications like: 

1. Joint stiffness — Scar tissue typically forms as the rotator cuff heals after surgery. This can lead to an increase in post-surgical stiffness. Such stiffness can continue to make your life more difficult long after your surgery is over. One study reports that nearly 9% of patients who had rotator cuff surgery experienced significant stiffness following surgery. Fortunately, the study also reports that physical therapy helped 67% of patients resolve their stiffness within five months. 

2. Blood clots — Blood clots often occur when patients don’t move around enough after surgery. These clots are blood that has turned from liquid to a gel-like state. This complication can easily affect patients after rotator cuff surgery. 

A medical study reveals that almost 6% of the patients surveyed developed blood clots within three months of shoulder surgery. Physical therapists can help get you moving sooner after surgery, which can decrease your risk of blood clots. 

3. Rotator cuff reinjury — A major complication that not doing physical therapy can lead to is reinjury. A study of rotator cuff surgery patients reveals that 33% of them developed another rotator cuff tear after their initial surgery. Some of the risk factors listed for a rotator cuff reinjury included: 

• Old age
• Large size of the initial tear
• Fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles as a result of muscle atrophy 

SSOR offers beneficial post-rotator cuff surgery physical therapy

Keen to avoid complications after rotator cuff surgery? Our physical therapy specialists at SSOR can help you recover faster and avoid complications after surgery. We’ll start by evaluating your shoulder to learn what post-surgical issues you have. Then, our physical therapists will create a personalized rehab plan for you. 

Worrying that you won’t be able to come to one of our clinics for therapy? No problem! We offer several therapy services you can use from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy sessions. 

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