Ortho Surgery Expectations

Training Injuries
1

A week from today I get my right shoulder scoped. I tore the top portion of my labrum 4/4/09. Cortisone shots made the last year or so bearable enough to continue training, however I no longer can perform any press exercises, throw my kids around at the pool, buckle my seat belt etc. Quality of life is poor, so it is time.

My surgeon believes that what he will end up doing is detaching my bicep tendon and reattaching it by threading it through my (clavicle or scapula?) to remove the strain from the labrum tear. He won’t know for sure until he gets in there but that is the expectation.

He said that when I wake up he will LMK if I will be in a sling for 2 weeks or 6 weeks (if there is rotator cuff damage) with rehab being 3-6 months (no heavy lifting) and it could be a year before I am back to full strength.

Has anyone had personal experience with this type of injury? I would like to know how quickly one who is determined to recover as quickly as possible can expect as a realistic time frame. I hope to be back to full strength in 6 months. Realistic or not?

Thanks!

2

How old are you? Age can play a role in recovery time for sure. Also, by you saying “throw my kids around at the pool”, I am assuming you are older. If that is the case, it may be worth asking your ortho if he has ever done just a long head biceps detachment without reattachment. It is similar to what John Elway accidentally did, but some orthos are doing it surgically now and finding some good results without too much of an extended recovery time. That may or may not be an option based on the significance of you labral tear.

3

From what I understand the reattachment is not merely for appearance, so that you don’t sport the Popeye arm, but will help a return to full strength.

There is a guy at my gym who has a bicep tendon tear that was not repaired and not only is he extremely self conscious about it but he insists that it impedes his ability to gain strength. I’m 42 btw. You’re certainly right about the age aspect as I do not heal nearly as quickly in my elderly state