Has anyone here successfully went back to training after rotator cuff surgery?

[Jimmy L]

Fellas I'm very nervous.

I'm a 28 year old male and on Tuesday October 7, 2008 I'm getting rotator cuff surgery (either arthroscopic or mini-open) on my dominant shoulder (right shoulder) to repair my supraspinatus tendon in which 80-90% of it is torn. My doc is going to complete the tear and than reattach it. I work security (I often have to restrain people) so I will be out of work for 12 weeks. I will also be in a sling for the first 6 weeks and my doc will be sending me to physical therapy.

Has anyone here ever had surgery to repair their rotator cuff? I'm not talking about a simple debridement I'm talking about a full blast rotator cuff REPAIR. Can you guys who have please give me some insight as to what I should expect? Did you guys return to hard core training?

Can you guys tell me at what point post op I would be able to start:

1. The 10 Jobe exercises (dumbbell prone rows, dumbbell full can scaption raises, standing cable internal/external rotation, etc.)
2. My regular weightlifting routine
3. Walking on treadmill
4. Running on treadmill
5. Sprinting on track
6. Boxing training
7. Grappling training

Also, for those who had the surgery, when should I expect to safely be able to restrain someone at work (including wrestling, slamming, and punching) WITHOUT having my repair come undone? And when can I expect to be pain free and have my full ROM back?

I asked my doc these things but I would like to know from you guys as well. In case it matters I will be healing WITHOUT the use of any HGH.

[pumpster]

Since you may not get many replies from people who have actually had surgery, i'll throw in my 2 cents as someone who had rotator cuff problems but not surgery. I post this because some of the factors will be similar.

Basically once you recover from rotator problems, you have to figure out exactly what factors caused it, and avoid them no matter what. If in your case if was a combo of certain exercises as well as the strains of the type of work you do to use 2 examples, you have to decide if you have to change the exercises you use to avoid trauma, and whether you can still work in the same field without having a similar problem repeat itself down the road.

If the variables that caused the initial injury are likely to cause a recurrance, you have to first try to modify them and if that's not sufficient, remove them. In the case of exercises, you may find that better warmups or different ROMS will be enough, and if not, the use of different exercises. In the case of the job, ask yourself whether you can reasonably avoid a repeat of the stresses that caused it; if not it's time to find a different line of work.

[eho]

i can understand that being off work would make you want to recuperate as soon as possible, but why on earth would you rush rehab-ing your shoulder? 

My suggestion, if they don't have modified duties to accomodate your recuperation, then maybe finding something else in the meantime while you heal may be ideal... 

It's interesting thing is that athletes tend to feel an obligation, or a sense of satisfaction by running themselves into the ground and have a bad habit of rushing rehab after injuries, (or surgeries) to get back into their regular routine.   They find it hard to slow down, or ease off the offending activity.

But consider this, surgery is deliberate damage to tissue.   After your body heals, you'll still be left with a lot of scar-tissue, that has to be treated.   Bottom line: damage is damage.    You need to heal.  Let your body heal.   Do your rehab exercises the way your rehab specialist tells you, but no more than this.  Otherwise you're just asking for trouble.