I’m in the process of recovering from surgery as I type . I had a torn rotator cuff and tore bicep tendon. I’m 5 weeks in and start with the physical terrorist in a week . Doc says at least 2 months of terrorizing. No way I would consider shooting a rifle till I’m 100%. Doc. is telling me 5-6 months full recovery. I would in no circumstances want to go through this again. So I will follow Doctors orders.
Rotator cuff 10 week update
- Thread starter rjtfroggy
- Start date
I just shot several matches f-open in the pass two months. Mine is torn in two places, and I am getting surgery here next week. My injury is 6 months old now, so I feel better but I do have pain putting my arm out for the trigger and a little bit of shoulder popping which also hurts.
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rockhound78
Silver $$ Contributor
My rehab lasted about two weeks. Guy said I was good to go as I could do most of everything he wanted. That said, shoulder hurt every night and has for the last 25 years. Usually wakes me up. Started shooting 22's at about 4 mo. and was at Raton to watch the guys shoot their 50's at 5 mo. Was looking at one and the fellow invited me to shoot it, which I did, twice!! That was enough!!!
Took almost a year before I could reach in the back seat and grab something w/o pain and also getting back to shooting my 308.
Pay attention to the rehab people. Friend didn't and paid the price. He finally listened after surgery #4 as Doc. told him there would be no #5 as nothing left to work with.
Took almost a year before I could reach in the back seat and grab something w/o pain and also getting back to shooting my 308.
Pay attention to the rehab people. Friend didn't and paid the price. He finally listened after surgery #4 as Doc. told him there would be no #5 as nothing left to work with.
wedgy
Gold $$ Contributor
I did the left one 5 years ago, 5 screws, torn RC, partial biceps, retracted complete tear of supraspinatus. Worse pain I had ever experienced for 3 day in my life including a chest tube and broken ribs and many other broken bones and surgeries. Did the right one 3 years ago 6 screws and everything the left one had but a complete tear of the biceps insertion, a bone spur and a 13mm cyst. The labrum(??) pulls laterally on the biceps attachment point and they don't want that so they drill an all new attachment point for the biceps. Felt like I got shot in the front of my shoulder for 3 weeks straight. I thought I had the routine down after the 1st shoulder and would have some extra free time off work but I had to take an additional 3 weeks on top of the 2 months, rehab was way harder than the 1st one also, longer and much more painful. But it is better than new now and pain free !
Texas Solo
B.S. High Master
As mentioned, do it sooner than later.
My Doc said my shoulder was hamburger, if I wait any longer he can't fix it. Mine was bad, about 3 years old.
PT was a bear for 8 weeks. But today I'm percent. No pain, no restrictions.
Best thing I've ever done for myself.
My Doc said my shoulder was hamburger, if I wait any longer he can't fix it. Mine was bad, about 3 years old.
PT was a bear for 8 weeks. But today I'm percent. No pain, no restrictions.
Best thing I've ever done for myself.
I’ve had both shoulders done. Nasty business. Each took about a year for full recovery. Rehab was awful. That said, both are 100% now. Do not vary from the doctor’s orders or hide from the rehab. And don’t put it off.
If they can fix your shoulder by scope job, recovery will be somewhat faster. And the amount of damage is a big part of repair and recovery. You’ll get used to doing everything with the ‘good’ arm.
If they can fix your shoulder by scope job, recovery will be somewhat faster. And the amount of damage is a big part of repair and recovery. You’ll get used to doing everything with the ‘good’ arm.
I shot left handed for a while while mine healed.
Ripped up shoulder is why I shoot right handed. I learned left handed because I'm left eye dominant. First surgery in '86 included taking a muscle from my left pectoral and wrapped it over the top of my shoulder and turned it into a tendon. Stable until 2013 when playing tug with my grandson's pit bull tore the rotator again, along with the labrum and ruptured a bicep tendon. Got that fixed but after healing slinging up for highpower hurt so bad it just wasn't going to happen. Took me 6 years to realize competition was over and I sold my gear. Sometimes surgery just can't fix what's broke. PT can only do so much, IMO, and recovery from the PT can be as bad as the injury. I'm a glorified bench plinker these days.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
Same deal here Walt. Until you get an MRI nobody knows what all is wrong with your shoulder. I suffered through two months of therapy before I demanded to finally get scanned. The doctor about freaked out when he found out it was two months since injury. Said I should have seen him for surgery the first week.
My surgery worked out so well, that shoulder is now better than the one that wasn't injured. jd
rjtfroggy
Gold $$ Contributor
I could have been typing this 3 hours ago, because of another sleepless night. I haven't slept more than 2 hours at a time since I fell on June 3. I honestly think PT is making it worse, the pain is starting to spread to my forearm and shoulder blade and my elbow feels like I got hit with a pipe.
I'm going to call Dr. office today to see if he will order the MRI, I need a different kind because of the stainless steel stent in my abdomen and all the screws and rods in my lumbar spine, it will probably take a few extra weeks to get one.
I guess my shooting is done for 2024, need to look forward to 2025.
I'm going to call Dr. office today to see if he will order the MRI, I need a different kind because of the stainless steel stent in my abdomen and all the screws and rods in my lumbar spine, it will probably take a few extra weeks to get one.
I guess my shooting is done for 2024, need to look forward to 2025.
If you haven't had it repaired do so, mine isn't like new but it's damn good, 6 pins 8 internal stitches. If you're only 6 weeks out after the repair don't do it! You could permanently damage the shoulder.
I shoot heavy recoil rifles with caution, field practice is no issue, bench shooting always sucked even before the damage.
Oklahoma Jim
Silver $$ Contributor
I fought a torn rotator cuff for 30 years. I did exercise and rehab at home and it would partially recover. It finally gave up the ghost in 2023. I couldn't reach for the seatbelt in a vehicle or tuck in my shirt, so I decided it was time for a repair. Surgery and strict adherence to rehab and physical therapy gave me 95-100% recovery after about a year. Good luck with your shoulder!
Just got home from surgery to repair my two torn cuffs, now to recover in time. Shooting this season is done, same with biking. Going to have to do hiking in late fall to keep active.
Monte F
Silver $$ Contributor
Glad your surgery went well. get better soon.
I will talk to you tomorrow, let you the details.
Just Dave
Gold $$ Contributor
Next Friday the 26th i'll be getting a full tear in my right RC fixed.
I've had some smaller tears in the past, but nothing like this, this time it aches so bad, i can hardly sleep.
I tore it about 8 weeks ago, but I still shot a match with the 50-cal about 6 weeks ago, . like someone else said , it pushed more on the collar bone than shoulder. I added another 3/8" of padding behind the stocks rubber pad, and it wasnt too awful , I managed to shoot some of the best groups ever with a new-to-me gun.
Not looking forward to the next 4-6 weeks .. and since my left shoulder sounds like its got pop-rocks in it, im guessing that will be next years repair.
I've had some smaller tears in the past, but nothing like this, this time it aches so bad, i can hardly sleep.
I tore it about 8 weeks ago, but I still shot a match with the 50-cal about 6 weeks ago, . like someone else said , it pushed more on the collar bone than shoulder. I added another 3/8" of padding behind the stocks rubber pad, and it wasnt too awful , I managed to shoot some of the best groups ever with a new-to-me gun.
Not looking forward to the next 4-6 weeks .. and since my left shoulder sounds like its got pop-rocks in it, im guessing that will be next years repair.
I have had 5x surgeries to my shoulder. I put the first surgery off, due to deployments and train ups. By the time I got it repaired, my shoulder was regularly subluxing and sleep was awful as others described. I followed the physical therapy protocols, and I do shoulder targeted PT twice a week to keep my mobility up, build strength back up, and of course be healthy enough to shoot.
As others have said, try to shift recoil out of the shoulder/clavicle pocket, move the rifle more center on to the clavicle (collar bone). Use high quality front and rear bags, the Armageddon bags made a huge difference in being able to shoot again for me.
Get the surgery as soon as you can, do the prescribed PT. I put surgery off a couple times, and it cost me more damage that took more surgeries and longer recovery times. I am grateful for the health care I have, but I have learned that some surgeons are better than others.
Best of luck to you, and a speedy recovery.
Ok, here is my day five update.
1. The ice machine died today, replacement will take three days from amazon.’
2. Wife is had enough, she is wore out from no sleep.
3. Talk about not getting any bowel movement, let me tell you its going to kick your ass.
4. Sleeping in a chair will if not kick your ass. Man this is the worst pain because your ass is there 24 hours a day.
5. Pain in the shoulder is getting easier each day. But the sling on the neck is killing me. Why do they not fix this or design it for more comfort?
6. Sleep is 2 hours at best in a chair, so day five I am super tired. I should be able to hit the bed in a few days.
7. Thinking about shooting, but that is 6 months out so just watch crappy TV in the meantime.
8. Forget about loosing weight, hard to set around and watch crap on TV and not eat.
9. 5 more weeks of the sling yea, I am ready to just loose it right Now.
1. The ice machine died today, replacement will take three days from amazon.’
2. Wife is had enough, she is wore out from no sleep.
3. Talk about not getting any bowel movement, let me tell you its going to kick your ass.
4. Sleeping in a chair will if not kick your ass. Man this is the worst pain because your ass is there 24 hours a day.
5. Pain in the shoulder is getting easier each day. But the sling on the neck is killing me. Why do they not fix this or design it for more comfort?
6. Sleep is 2 hours at best in a chair, so day five I am super tired. I should be able to hit the bed in a few days.
7. Thinking about shooting, but that is 6 months out so just watch crappy TV in the meantime.
8. Forget about loosing weight, hard to set around and watch crap on TV and not eat.
9. 5 more weeks of the sling yea, I am ready to just loose it right Now.
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