I took a bad fall a few weeks ago and today got the news I had been dreading after Physical Therapy failed to fix the issues.
MRI shows I have complete tears of the superspinatus and infraspinatus tendons in my right shoulder, which explains why I can not raise my arm above my shoulders to the side or front. The orthopaedic of course said it needs to be fixed, sooner the better. I am debating agreeing to that as while I can't move my arms in all directions, I function pretty good, surgery is always a risk, and my pain level now is minimal. PT guy was surprised at how bad it was given how well I have done with threapy, but strongly advised having it fixed. FWIW, I am right-handed.
So looking for advise from those of you that have been there with this type of injury. Would you fix it? Why or why not? I stopped lifting weights several months ago, so that is not a factor in decided to fix it or not. MRI showed no muscle atrophy even after 5 weeks, which the Dr said was good.
My preference is to just live with it even though I do lose about 50-60% range of motion in that arm. I live alone, so being incapacitated for 6-8 weeks is going to be a real hardship. The other BIG factor in fixing it is I can't take most pain meds and I'm told there is a lot with this surgery. Hydracodone, Vicodin...all that crap makes me climb the walls and is of no help at all with the pain (in fact I think it makes it worse). Doing the surgery will also knock me out of cardio for several weeks I'm sure, which I don't need.
Any of guys living with a rotator cuff tear? How limiting is it?
MRI shows I have complete tears of the superspinatus and infraspinatus tendons in my right shoulder, which explains why I can not raise my arm above my shoulders to the side or front. The orthopaedic of course said it needs to be fixed, sooner the better. I am debating agreeing to that as while I can't move my arms in all directions, I function pretty good, surgery is always a risk, and my pain level now is minimal. PT guy was surprised at how bad it was given how well I have done with threapy, but strongly advised having it fixed. FWIW, I am right-handed.
So looking for advise from those of you that have been there with this type of injury. Would you fix it? Why or why not? I stopped lifting weights several months ago, so that is not a factor in decided to fix it or not. MRI showed no muscle atrophy even after 5 weeks, which the Dr said was good.
My preference is to just live with it even though I do lose about 50-60% range of motion in that arm. I live alone, so being incapacitated for 6-8 weeks is going to be a real hardship. The other BIG factor in fixing it is I can't take most pain meds and I'm told there is a lot with this surgery. Hydracodone, Vicodin...all that crap makes me climb the walls and is of no help at all with the pain (in fact I think it makes it worse). Doing the surgery will also knock me out of cardio for several weeks I'm sure, which I don't need.
Any of guys living with a rotator cuff tear? How limiting is it?
