We all know and assume, based on our experience, that PT will begin one or two days following orthopedic surgery.

The question to the forum is regarding a rotator cuff. Repairs included three “severe” tears, four anchors, bicep reattachment, and several pre-existing bone spurs.

Why would PT schedule a patient’s FIRST appointment 4-5 weeks AFTER surgery? No one is talking. PT, lawyer, and nurses desk say to wait for my follow-up appointment but this seems like a long time. Surgery was last Monday. First follow-up is this Monday.

Anyone else ever told to delay PT?

Based on a similar surgery (two supraspinatus tears, subscapularis torn completely off, bicep tendon in the joint. The whole mess requiring three anchors and a biceps tenodesis to repair), it is going to be a while before you start PT. The doc will likely give you some simple exercises (dangle the arm and swing in gently in a circle first one way then the other, “cut the pizza”), but these are all about moving the joint and avoiding it freezing, NOT building anything back.

This stuff is major surgery on a complicated joint. Give it a chance to heal before you rush back into leaping tall buildings, etc.

ETA: Thank you for all that you do to help ke us all safe. Best wishes for a quick and full recovery!

Yes, I’ve had two RC surgeries on my left shoulder. The first surgery was more involved, with anchors etc. My first PT appointment was 6 weeks post op, I believe. The second surgery was not as involved and PT started within a couple of weeks.

Thanks. I was afraid I might be missing out. Started rehab with the other shoulder day following surgery but that was also 15 years ago.

Hell, after my shoulder surgery (pig intestine replaced supra tendon)I was in a sling and had to wear the "ice chest" contraption for 2 weeks and no PT till some time later.

What is missing here is clear communication from your orthopedic physician. It is like talking to the mechanic when you get your auto serviced, rather than the serivice advisor. A call to the office is in order.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
What is missing here is clear communication from your orthopedic physician.

His communications were quite clear and in writing but coming off of general anesthesia I was in no shape for conversation. I just want to know if others are undergoing the same protocols. I have enough ice and pain meds to make it to Monday.

quote:

His communications were quite clear and in writing but coming off of general anesthesia I was in no shape for conversation. I just want to know if others are undergoing the same protocols. I have enough ice and pain meds to make it to Monday.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Good luck. Hopefully he will clear everything up with you Monday.

quote:

Originally posted by PD:
I have enough ice and pain meds to make it to Monday.

Pro tip: The ice is 1000 times more valuable than the pain meds. Whatever they gave you for an ice schedule stick to it. If the pain starts to get bad, often it is forgotten ice, not forgotten drugs. Swell is a real bear, especially in the shoulder.

Physical Therapists are physical terrorists. Most of them tortured kitties and twisted the heads off of chickens when they were young.

Yea,, I’ve had PT hurt me. They think they can cure cancer and all the worlds ills.

The date for starting PT depends on the extent of the damage that had to be repaired.

In my case, my double full thickness rotator cuff tear plus two other torn tendons back in May with the surgery in early June, saw a 12 week delay with my arm strapped to my side waiting for the injured tissue to knit themselves together properly.

After 2 PT sessions I came down with Clostridium difficile, spent a month in an ICU and PCI, and I am now just shy of a month in the rehab center. We started working on rehabbing the shoulder about 10 days ago.

so it may take quite a while to get to doing PT on your busted-up shoulder

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

quote:

Originally posted by PD:
I have enough ice and pain meds to make it to Monday.

Pro tip: The ice is 1000 times more valuable than the pain meds. Whatever they gave you for an ice schedule stick to it. If the pain starts to get bad, often it is forgotten ice, not forgotten drugs. Swell is a real bear, especially in the shoulder.

I have the Breg pump. It was covered by insurance. Looks like a beer cooler with a water pump. Ice, water, fit the thing to shoulder using Velcro, plug in the wall and start pumping. :20 on :20 off.

I leave it on all day. Definitely was able to reduce the dosage of pain meds. The pump is still
effective beyond the initial 72 hour window.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
The date for starting PT depends on the extent of the damage that had to be repaired.

Makes sense. I was told not to remove the fancy-ass sling for at least four weeks.

I'm going in for ankle surgery this coming Wednesday.
Doc said crutches and a week in a splint and then get a boot after that.
PT would start about 4 weeks post-surgery.

Didn't heal properly after grade 2 sprain so they'll cut the ligament, pull tight and reattach

quote:

Originally posted by C-Dubs:
I'm going in for ankle surgery this coming Wednesday.

As others have said, consider the ice machine with an ankle cuff. Mine was an Rx device and covered by insurance.

Will do.
The orthopedic guy I went to for far too long and wasted far too much money with had me in therapy way too early, and aggravated the issue more. He finally gave up and recommended a podiatrist, and treatment plan is much more focused.
I can see light at the end of the tunnel now.

I ruptured my Achilles tendon in August. Currently a little more than 8 weeks post-op and still in a boot for 2 more weeks. I'm allowed to have it off for bed, shower and to do some mild flexion exercises per the surgeon. Full blown PT starts when the boot comes off next month.

quote:

Originally posted by C-Dubs:
I'm going in for ankle surgery this coming Wednesday.
Doc said crutches and a week in a splint...

See if you can borrow a knee scooter. Handy to get around first week and when not in the boot. I bought one and it saved my sanity around the house the first month when I couldn't put any weight on my ankle. Still use it when out of boot as previously suggested.