Orthoscopic shoulder surgery...?

[BigSnacks]

I started lifting around Jan ’13 (yes, my join date is like 2009; I had a few failed attempts at sticking to it between then an 2013) and 9 months into it I started having shoulder pain on any kind of horizontal pressing (bench, incline, push-ups, even dips, curls, etc; basically anything other than straight overhead pressing) but I just stopped doing those movements at the end of the year and ignored the pain (indirect assistance like in rows, etc, but also lifting a washcloth in the shower, turning on my side (left), etc) until I popped into Urgent Care in April ’14 for an unrelated incident. While I was there I had them check my shoulder, at which time they found arthritis in the AC join and gave me a steroid shot (cortisone?). That helped temporarily but 2-3 weeks later the pain returned and I jumped back on the “pretend it doesn’t hurt like a mother” train (I didn’t do any movements that would directly affect it, like chest work, but as I said, almost everything aggravated it).

A few months ago I was talking to a PT who rehabilitated/trained guys at my gym and he ran me through some preliminary test and thought, based on where I was hurting most (the front of the shoulder, not over the AC joint), that it was a labrum tear. Well, I continued to put it off until this last week when I finally bit the bullet and saw a recommended orthopedic guy (he’s the one who treats the baseball players at USC, so I presume he’s good). I got my MRI done Tuesday and just got back from my follow-up. He sees nothing wrong with my labrum but asked if I’d had any shoulder accidents because the AC joint looks damaged, beyond just what the arthritis did (which no longer appears to be present, according to the Xray I had last week). My options are to live/deal with it, or go in for orthoscopic surgery to have the clavicle peeled back and smoothed so the bones aren’t rubbing against each other. The cost won’t be as bad as I feared, but my biggest concern is being out of commission for up to 12 months, according to him. He said in a few months I could maybe use some “bands and light dumbbells”, but that it would be a while before I could ramp the weight up. I know I’m just being stubborn and hard-headed, because my quality of life would no-doubt be improved by the elimination of pain, but I feel like I’d be flushing 2 years of hard work down the toilet and starting over.


Have any of y’all had a procedure like this done? How much of an improvement did it make? How long did it realistically take you to return to the heavy iron?

[yaaar]

I had a SLAP repair done a few years ago, different issue but shoulder surgery nonetheless. My issue was with the biceps tendon.

First week you can't do anything.

Second week you have to start moving it, hurts like a mother but you can't have it healing wrong.

6 weeks you can get back to work and maybe wipe your ass again.

6 months you can do most things, probably don't want to lift too heavy but you can get after it.

1 year, everything seems okay but you can still tell something was done in there.

2 years after I felt everything was completely normal.

That's my experience anyway, took it easy for the first 6 months. I wasn't lifting on a regular basis but I definitely felt it lifting heavy things. Couldn't tell you which shoulder was repaired at this point.

[Minotaur]

...I know I’m just being stubborn and hard-headed, because my quality of life would no-doubt be improved by the elimination of pain, but I feel like I’d be flushing 2 years of hard work down the toilet and starting over.


Have any of y’all had a procedure like this done? How much of an improvement did it make? How long did it realistically take you to return to the heavy iron?

Do you want to risk losing full use of your arm permanently v. a set back (minor in the grand scheme of things)?

<---- That guy... in 2012, subacromial calcification, split biceps long head tendon, 2 full thickness tears, arthro surgery. P.t. for 14 weeks, out of work for 7. Back in the gym @ ~ 16 weeks, and was on the mend, strength going back up all that time. Full healing between 6-12 months and upward from there.

[trickyB]

I am 1 week post-op my shoulder surgery. Like you I have AC joint arthritis as well as some bursitis and adhesive capsulitis. I most likely my separated shoulder over twenty years ago when I crashed my motorcycle. I had a large bone spur that was causing impingement. I ignored the problem for years and my range of motion was terrible. As a result I began to have problems in the other joints in my arm and neck as a result of them trying to compensate for my shoulder issues. 6 months prior to surgery I began pre-habing by stretching.


My surgery was a breeze. Labrum and cuff looked good just shaved of the bone spur (subacromial decompression).

I was out of the sling post op day one. I have just been taking 200mg of ibuprofen every 4-6 hours. I ice and stretch several times a day. Range of motion has returned rapidly. I was at the gym training legs on post op day two. By post op day four I was doing some curls with pink dumbbells and triceps extensions. I did some back and chest on the non surgical side with hammer strength machines yesterday while holding the grips with the surgical side.

At this pace it won't be long before I begin to incorporate some light resistance to my shoulder. The important thing to remember is so often people lump all shoulder injuries together and think the treatment and recovery etc is/will be the same. The shoulder is a very complicated joint. For example people often talk generically about the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is made up of 4 different muscles each with a different location, each supporting the joint in a different way. Attempting to discuss rotator cuff tears as if they are the same is a mistake.

Because my surgery didn't involve any repairs just shaving bone off there is nothing I can hurt by aggressively stretching. That being said stretching of any kind should be gentle and not to aggressive to cause injury. I didn't get this tight overnight and it will take some time to stretch things out again.

I have a job that isn't very physical and could be working already but will return on monday.

As always the best information will come from your doctor who knows your medical history and how his patients with similar conditions/procedures have faired post op.

Good luck and Go Tribe!

[tank316]

I started lifting around Jan ’13 (yes, my join date is like 2009; I had a few failed attempts at sticking to it between then an 2013) and 9 months into it I started having shoulder pain on any kind of horizontal pressing (bench, incline, push-ups, even dips, curls, etc; basically anything other than straight overhead pressing) but I just stopped doing those movements at the end of the year and ignored the pain (indirect assistance like in rows, etc, but also lifting a washcloth in the shower, turning on my side (left), etc) until I popped into Urgent Care in April ’14 for an unrelated incident. While I was there I had them check my shoulder, at which time they found arthritis in the AC join and gave me a steroid shot (cortisone?). That helped temporarily but 2-3 weeks later the pain returned and I jumped back on the “pretend it doesn’t hurt like a mother” train (I didn’t do any movements that would directly affect it, like chest work, but as I said, almost everything aggravated it).

A few months ago I was talking to a PT who rehabilitated/trained guys at my gym and he ran me through some preliminary test and thought, based on where I was hurting most (the front of the shoulder, not over the AC joint), that it was a labrum tear. Well, I continued to put it off until this last week when I finally bit the bullet and saw a recommended orthopedic guy (he’s the one who treats the baseball players at USC, so I presume he’s good). I got my MRI done Tuesday and just got back from my follow-up. He sees nothing wrong with my labrum but asked if I’d had any shoulder accidents because the AC joint looks damaged, beyond just what the arthritis did (which no longer appears to be present, according to the Xray I had last week). My options are to live/deal with it, or go in for orthoscopic surgery to have the clavicle peeled back and smoothed so the bones aren’t rubbing against each other. The cost won’t be as bad as I feared, but my biggest concern is being out of commission for up to 12 months, according to him. He said in a few months I could maybe use some “bands and light dumbbells”, but that it would be a while before I could ramp the weight up. I know I’m just being stubborn and hard-headed, because my quality of life would no-doubt be improved by the elimination of pain, but I feel like I’d be flushing 2 years of hard work down the toilet and starting over.


Have any of y’all had a procedure like this done? How much of an improvement did it make? How long did it realistically take you to return to the heavy iron?

I have had both shoulders done. And still continue to lift, granted, its not like the old days, I miss the heavy stuff. The other thing to remember with surgery, they will fix what the MRI didn't catch. Starting over is a bitter pill to swallow, and its a crappy way to learn about rehabbing! Parking my ego was the biggest thing, Yet, I learned to use different tempos and going lighter safely allows me to still be able to do what I love to do, and that's lift! From surgery date to rehab was about 6-7 months. That was 2010, both shoulders feel fantastic, its how you approach your rehab, and life after rehab. Good luck with it! Hang tough.

[Minotaur]

Starting over is a bitter pill to swallow, and its a crappy way to learn about rehabbing! Parking my ego was the biggest thing, ulders feel fantastic, its how you approach your rehab, and life after rehab. Good luck with it! Hang tough.

Ain't it though? It was a real come-down not being able to side raise a 2 lb pink (or was it lavender? ) dumbbell in p.t. when I used to raise 30s. But that slow and steady was worth it.

[tank316]

Ain't it though? It was a real come-down not being able to side raise a 2 lb pink (or was it lavender? ) dumbbell in p.t. when I used to raise 30s. But that slow and steady was worth it.

Truth!!!!

[Goldeneagle76]

I had a SLAP repair done a few years ago, different issue but shoulder surgery nonetheless. My issue was with the biceps tendon.

First week you can't do anything.

Second week you have to start moving it, hurts like a mother but you can't have it healing wrong.

6 weeks you can get back to work and maybe wipe your ass again.

6 months you can do most things, probably don't want to lift too heavy but you can get after it.

1 year, everything seems okay but you can still tell something was done in there.

2 years after I felt everything was completely normal.

That's my experience anyway, took it easy for the first 6 months. I wasn't lifting on a regular basis but I definitely felt it lifting heavy things. Couldn't tell you which shoulder was repaired at this point.

had the same slap tear ortho surgery done. About the same feelings as you too. Man it sucked trying to move that shoulder even a few inches. You know it's bad when being able to lay your hand flat on a wall above your head is considered a milestone!

[BigSnacks]

Thanks, y'all. I know it needs to be done, I'm just bummed about it. Hopefully I can recover as quickly as trickyB! This doctor was recommended to me because he does the shoulders for the USC baseball team, so hopefully everything goes better than planned and he's just giving me the 'worst case scenario'.

[yaaar]

Honestly, the best time to take care of it is as soon as possible. Good luck!

[JimmyJonny]

I had the end of mine cut off once then the 2nd surgery it was reshaved. The time they cut it was the worst. I had a burning sensation there for quite awhile and kept thinking something was wrong...... don't know if thats normal or not. Can't say how long recovery took because each time I had multiple things done at once and it all had to heal. I would say the average healing time for all major shoulder surgeries is 9 months, give or take.

I won't ever be 100% but I'm lifting and I am stronger than I was in my 20's. No regrets here.

[JimmyJonny]

I had a SLAP repair done a few years ago, different issue but shoulder surgery nonetheless. My issue was with the biceps tendon.

First week you can't do anything.

Second week you have to start moving it, hurts like a mother but you can't have it healing wrong.

6 weeks you can get back to work and maybe wipe your ass again.

6 months you can do most things, probably don't want to lift too heavy but you can get after it.

1 year, everything seems okay but you can still tell something was done in there.

2 years after I felt everything was completely normal.

That's my experience anyway, took it easy for the first 6 months. I wasn't lifting on a regular basis but I definitely felt it lifting heavy things. Couldn't tell you which shoulder was repaired at this point.

After mine they came in a few hours and stretched my arm out. Man I yelled like a little bitch, !!!! My wife and MIL ran out of there fast. I think on my bicep operation they waited a few days, prolly because of the anchors.

[beachguy498]

I was really close to having surgery between 2010 and 2011 and chose to go through a pre-hab, so my recovery would be quicker. It turned out so well, I skipped the surgery and am doing well with little shoulder pain at all. Of course I had to change my lifting considerably and going with more pull than push exercises. Overhead press.. that's out. Flat bench, out. I still may opt for the surgery, but right now I'm happy where I am.

[yaaar]

After mine they came in a few hours and stretched my arm out. Man I yelled like a little bitch, !!!! My wife and MIL ran out of there fast. I think on my bicep operation they waited a few days, prolly because of the anchors.

That seriously was some of the worst pain I've ever experienced, I can totally imagine the entire thing you just described. Amazing how many things you need your shoulder for. After a couple weeks it was bearable, but that first few days turns you into a pretty humble creature.

I had 3 sutures to reattach, wasn't completely un-attached luckily. I see videos where people rip it off sometimes, worst thing on the Internet as far as I'm concerned.

Don't mean to scare about the surgery at all, it does hurt for a bit but my only regret was not doing it earlier.

[tank316]

Thanks, y'all. I know it needs to be done, I'm just bummed about it. Hopefully I can recover as quickly as trickyB! This doctor was recommended to me because he does the shoulders for the USC baseball team, so hopefully everything goes better than planned and he's just giving me the 'worst case scenario'.

Since your in the military you'll understand when I say...Adapt and over come.. You wont be out of the game that long !!! Good luck!!