Help me figure out a program after shoulder surgery

[stev0n]

10 months ago I had 2 tendons in my shoulder reattached, 1 repaired, bone spurs removed, & small part of my collarbone edge shaved off.

10 months later, my strength is coming back slowly, but my size & shape are not. I still have pain and a noticeable limited range of certain motions.

I gained around 40lbs after surgery, I've lost 20 of it, but I can already tell that my muscle mass is smaller now (while fatter) than it was before surgery. I've trained in powerlifting since I joined a gym 7 years ago this week, but the big three aren't in the cards for my anytime soon. (I was able to rack pull 315 x 1, but very shaky & that' half the weight I used to deadlift).

I'm hoping recomping will be a possibility with muscle memory, but I don't care about strength a much a I do leaning back out & building size/definition.

Here are the max's on some of my current exercises before shoulder pain stops me:

front delt raises - dumbbell - 35 x 8
side delt raises - dumbbell - 30 x 6
rear delt - dumbbell - 35 x 8
overhead shoulder press - dumbbell - 30 x 6

incline bench press - dumbbell - 55 x 8
chest fly machine - 210 x 6

lat pulldown - cables - 240 x 6
cable rows - 195 x 8


I'll include before surgery & now pics

before


now

[Heisman2]

Have you done physical therapy for recovery post-op?

[stev0n]

Have you done physical therapy for recovery post-op?

yeah. it ran out a couple months ago

[Heisman2]

Are you supposed to be able to regain full function? I ask because you said you still have pain and a limited range of motion. If so it may be worth following up with the surgeon to see if they think further PT is indicated. If they have told you that the function and pain limitations you have now are as good as it is going to get and have cleared you for full activity otherwise, then type out what you are able to do from a range of motion standpoint without pain in different lifts and we can try to give you more specific advice.

[mdonnelly80]

I'm not a physio so I would run any advice by one but here's my two cents. When I tore up my shoulder (full separation, very different from your injury) I found that building my rear delts and upper back helped significantly with medial and anterior shoulder pain. Getting the the scapula drawn back put my shoulder in a much better position. It took a lot of band work: face pulls, pull aparts, band dislocates (etc) but it did the trick, for sure. TBH, dumbbells weren't my friend for a long time; most isolation work was done with bands.

[BeginnerGainz]

You’re gonna have to speak to someone more qualified than you will find on this forum. Especially if you want to resume lifting.

By someone, I mean a sports physio, not just your run of the mill PT.