4 Months POST OP SLAP Tear. Still not healing!!!

[bigoat10]

Hi Guys

Im 4 and a half months post op for a simple SLAP debridment. Im still having problems with inflammation in the area. Im lifting really light weights still. Iv read a lot of other guys stories on this forum who had actual SLAP repairs done with anchors and after 4 months they all seem to have been lifting decent heavy poundages again. I am getting really frustrated now. My physio discharged me two months ago but i went back 2 weeks ago to voice my concerns and she said there is nothing she can do. Just keep lifting light, stretch and apply ice. Surely i should be lifting more than 5kg on my dumbbell press by now without aches and pains the days after.

Any advice from people who have had issues post op would be great. As you can imagine i seem to be well behind in my rehab.

[mslman71]

Hi Guys

Im 4 and a half months post op for a simple SLAP debridment.

So, did they repair the SLAP tear or do a simple debridement? Did you have a biceps tenodesis?

[bigoat10]

So, did they repair the SLAP tear or do a simple debridement? Did you have a biceps tenodesis?

Just a simple debridement so i should be way ahead of schedule by now. When you say bicep tendonitis, would i feel that in the actual bicep or more near the actual labrum?

[mslman71]

Just a simple debridement so i should be way ahead of schedule by now. When you say bicep tendonitis, would i feel that in the actual bicep or more near the actual labrum?

No, I meant tenodesis, where they cut the LHB tendon at its insertion at the labrum and attach it to the humerus (or elsewhere). It's not unheard of when there is a bad SLAP tear (as I understand it).

So you had diagnosis (ala MRI or other) of a true SLAP tear and the opted for a debridement? I guess it wasn't all that bad. I assumed those usually involved anchors to reattach it. I thought recovery from a typical debridement was reasonably quick, but I can't say for sure (yet). Perhaps you're the unfortunate anomaly. Are you doing PT? Sometimes they leave loose bodies behind (unintentionally). Did they mention doing a check to make sure this wasn't the case?

[bigoat10]

No, I meant tenodesis, where they cut the LHB tendon at its insertion at the labrum and attach it to the humerus (or elsewhere). It's not unheard of when there is a bad SLAP tear (as I understand it).

So you had diagnosis (ala MRI or other) of a true SLAP tear and the opted for a debridement? I guess it wasn't all that bad. I assumed those usually involved anchors to reattach it. I thought recovery from a typical debridement was reasonably quick, but I can't say for sure (yet). Perhaps you're the unfortunate anomaly. Are you doing PT? Sometimes they leave loose bodies behind (unintentionally). Did they mention doing a check to make sure this wasn't the case?

Yeah, just a typical debridement here. No anchors. PT discharged me two months ago although i went back twice over the last two weeks and voiced my concerns. She said there is nothing she can do for me now as it just seems to be scar tissue and inflammation. I may have done too much when i started the PT. Im icing like crazy and doing all my stretches and STILL lifting really light. I can tell the actual injury that was operated on has healed as the discomfort is completely different to pre op. Just this inflammation keeping me back. The day after i lift it just aches.

[mslman71]

Yeah, just a typical debridement here. No anchors. PT discharged me two months ago although i went back twice over the last two weeks and voiced my concerns. She said there is nothing she can do for me now as it just seems to be scar tissue and inflammation. I may have done too much when i started the PT. Im icing like crazy and doing all my stretches and STILL lifting really light. I can tell the actual injury that was operated on has healed as the discomfort is completely different to pre op. Just this inflammation keeping me back. The day after i lift it just aches.

Got it. What about massage therapy or active release (ART)? It can get a little $ but some people swear by it. I'm going to my first ART session next week to see if I can't loosen up a tight joint capsule in the shoulder. It's a long shot, but I figure at this point it can't hurt. Any way, for you, it sounds like the boring answer is "give it time." Again, ART is _supposed_ to be good for scar tissue release; that's what I hear anyway.

[bigoat10]

Got it. What about massage therapy or active release (ART)? It can get a little $ but some people swear by it. I'm going to my first ART session next week to see if I can't loosen up a tight joint capsule in the shoulder. It's a long shot, but I figure at this point it can't hurt. Any way, for you, it sounds like the boring answer is "give it time." Again, ART is _supposed_ to be good for scar tissue release; that's what I hear anyway.

Yeah i have heard of it. Sounds really good. I called my orths receptionist the other day. They have recommended i go in for a cortisone shot and said that should get rid of it. However iv heard they have a lot of side effects so im not 100% sure.
Apparently they said i must have done too much too soon during the rehab ad its caused this constant inflammation. Its really annoying me now