Torn Labrum Surgery Recovery Journal

Hi guys,

I'm creating this thread to keep track of my arthroscopic shoulder surgery for a torn labrum in my left shoulder. I'll update this on a week-to-week basis mostly just to keep track of my recovery, but also as a reference for anyone who might go through this in the future. It might be cool to look back on this when I'm fully healed (hopefully in a little more than six months).

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Nov. 26, 2012
Partially dislocated my left shoulder when I lost an edge playing ice hockey and crashed into the boards with my left shoulder taking the brunt of the blow. I managed to maneuver my shoulder back into place about 10-15 minutes afterwards -- didn't feel the need to go to the ER so I just went home and iced it.

It wasn't until I got the results of an MRI that I had learned I had suffered a torn labrum, and I decided to get arthroscopic surgery because of the likelihood of future dislocations -- a pain that I never want to experience again.

** I was in a dark, dark place since I dislocated my shoulder. I was depressed with a capital 'D' knowing I wouldn't be able to play hockey or lift weights for MONTHS. In my mind I thought all that hard work in the gym was GONE. I was in the best shape of my life, too! All that hard work - GONE. **


Dec. 6, 2012
Day of surgery. I'm nervous and scared beyond words. It's my first surgery and the fear of the unknown is getting the best (or worst) of me, but I want to eventually get back to my normal lifestyle without fear. So I accept my fate and go ahead with the procedure.

I had five anchors attach my labrum back to the bone and the procedure took approximately an hour. I woke up with my arm in a sling and was able to go home shortly after.

Pain wasn't too bad initially because of a combination of local anesthesia and pain medications. I was able to eat and sit on a couch with pillows to support my shoulder and arm.

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Week One (post-op)

It's been four days since my surgery and I'm off of pain meds and doing gentle range of motion exercises out of my sling. I was able to take off my heavy bandage 48 hours post-op and shower. I also stopped using my cold therapy machine which I HIGHLY recommend for anyone who has this surgery. It provided amazing relief to my shoulder.

The soreness in my shoulder is much, much less today (Dec. 10) than in the three days since surgery. Very tolerable. I'll occasionally feel a twinge of pain if I accidentally move my shoulder in a funny way. My shoulder does feel very tight, though. Overall I'm comfortable! Had my first dump in five days -- what a relief!

With that said, sleeping has been a challenge since I haven't been able to sleep in my bed. Instead, I'm propped up on my couch with pillows.

I'm going to try driving around my parking complex tomorrow and my first post-op appointment is on Friday.

I know I have to take it slow, but my spirits are up and I'm not depressed anymore. I'm looking forward to being 100% again!!

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Week Two (post-op)

I'm now 15 days post-op and typing this from my gate at Denver International Airport. Looking forward to heading home for Christmas!

Although two weeks isn't very long in the big scheme of things, it feels like I've been in this sling for an eternity. It hasn't been the easiest of days -- since my shoulder is still pretty tight, it has a hard time moving fluidly. Instead of smooth movements, my shoulder occasionally jerks into position giving me discomfort. It's more of a nuisance than anything because it'll happen out of nowhere sometimes. Oh well. I don't want to jinx anything but it hasn't done it much today! We'll see how the flight goes...

I started physical therapy on Monday and it's pretty shocking how much of a difference it makes. People aren't lying when they say PT is the most crucial aspect to recovery with this operation. I've gotten to at least 0 degrees with my external rotation and my goal is to get to 30 by the 26th. My forward flexion has also improved thanks to a pulley I use. I've been averaging five stretching sessions each day, each lasting approximately 30-35 minutes with my first starting at 6:00 am every morning.

I can finally sleep in my bed, too. I was sleeping in a semi-reclined position on the couch for nearly two weeks and woke up every few hours because of the discomfort. Sleeping in a bed is a huge victory for me.

It's funny how people go out of their way to avoid me when they see the sling. I guess that's a good thing because the last thing I need is someone bumping/running into me. Actually the last thing I need is slipping or falling; wouldn't that suck?

I can't wait to get the sling off for good. I have another five weeks with it I think but I'll rejoice when this thing is off for good. Maybe I'll bury it in the ground.

Although I have MONTHS of recovery ahead of me I can finally breathe a sign of relief knowing the worst is (hopefully) behind me.

Feliz Navidad!

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Week Three (post-op)

Hard to believe it's been 22 days since the operation. It feels just like yesterday when I was being prepped for surgery.

Physical therapy is picking up in intensity, as I'm really starting to see progress in my forward flexion and external rotation exercises (I've gotten to 35 degrees!). I also started lifting weights -- only with my wrist, with a whopping five-pound dumbbell. Ha! Those wrist curls wore me out, though. But, hey, it's the first weight I've picked up in over a month. Small victory.

The bandages have been removed and my sutures have absorbed. They look great! It'll make for some small talk when sitting by the pool. Or beach?

Still dealing with the jerking inside the shoulder capsule. Most of them don't cause the discomfort I was experiencing during Week Two but it's still there, more annoying than painful. I can't wait for the day when it disappears altogether. Can't really complain because my rehab has been steadily progressing.

Here are the stretching exercises I'm doing now (Week Three):

*Pendulums (side-to-side, clockwise/counter clockwise, forward/backward)
*Scapular retraction
*External rotation stretch (with stick, pvc pipe, etc.)
*Pulleys
*"Saw" -- flexion stretch
*Standing external rotation stretch (elbow tucked to side)
*Isometric stretches (elbow, wrist, fist)
*Internal rotation (hand behind my back)
*Wrist curls with weight ***added at Week Three***
*Forward flexion (both arms up and overhead with stick, pvc pipe, etc.) ***added at Week Three***
*Forward flexion (one arm, supported at the wrist with the other arm, up and overhead) ***added at Week Three***

Hopefully I'll see more progress come Week Four.

Happy New Year!

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Week Four (post-op)

One month is in the books! Just had my most grueling physical therapy session to date as they're really starting to open up my shoulder's external rotation. I'm currently at 40-45 degrees and my forward flexion is around 140-145 while laying down and about 110-120 while standing upright.

I'm only wearing the sling when I sleep, drive and walk around in public. Other than that it's off and it feels so good to be out of the sling. I was given clearance to sleep without it so we'll see how that goes.

I've been able to use my left arm to do the basics like wash my hands, hold items, put on clothes, etc., and I can type with no problem. The jerking still occurs but only when my arm is bent 90 degrees and close to my body, like how it is when I'm in the sling. Occasional pain/discomfort but it's not the end of the world.

I'm currently doing wrist curls with 9 lb. dumbbells now! Ha! At least I'm getting a good burn in my forearm. I also did my first set of triceps extensions with resistance straps. Felt good to activate the triceps again and hopefully I'll get to (very) light weight training beginning in a week.

Cardio exercise isn't giving me any discomfort in the shoulder and I've been able to get a good sweat doing intervals on the stationary bike. My next step is to jump on the elliptical because the bike is starting to bore me. Going to start incorporating more body-weight squats, lunges and leg press exercises to keep the lower body strong.

Curious to see what my orthopedic surgeon says next Friday during my second post-op visit. Hopefully he'll let me ditch the sling altogether but I have a feeling I'll be wearing it for another 2-3 weeks.

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UPDATE

April 26, 2013

Had my last PT session today and have full range of motion.

Timeline
November 26, 2012 - tore labrum in left shoulder while playing hockey
December 6, 2012 - arthroscopic surgery to repair labrum (five anchors)
April 26, 2013 - final day of PT, full range of motion achieved

 

Good luck with everything man. I went through a full (front/back) shoulder reconstruction in 2004 due to multiple dislocations and serious damage, and it sucked at the time, but it was the best thing I ever did. You absolutely did the right thing by having it operated on after just the 1st dislocation, as you avoided all kids of issues. Look forward to seeing how you recover.

Are they limiting your walking/movement? I was forced to sit in a recliner for 24 hours a day besides going to the bathroom for about 4 weeks because they said walking would disturb the joint too much. Talk about brutal.

 

best of luck to you.

i had a SLAP tear surgery on june 18 2010 after tearing it on aug 29 2009 and a lot of rehab trying to fix it without surgery.

having had my left knee done twice i can tell you i would rather have my knee done ever single week for a year vs another slap tear surgery. maybe because it was my right arm or not i dont know.

however, i will say this, i am a competitive masters swimmer (putting it mildly) and within 5 months i was back swimming with it. raced on it in late november of '10 and by the time may came around i won 2 national titles. then i won a world title in august.

just take it easy for a while and then do all of the rehab, you will be fine!

steve

 

I tore my labrum playind adult ice hockey as well. Didn't separate it though. I got tripped and fell with my arm extended. It hurt but I kept playing on it. A lil re hab here and there. Eventually I got an MRI and needed surgery.

My surgery was Jan 2011. It sucked. Sleeping was rough, getting use to being handicapped sucked. I never had any constant pain, but some discomfort. If I moved my arm too much, I was down and out with how bad it hurt. The rehab starts slow, but it gets better. It took me about 5 months to be totaly recovered. Maybe another 3 to get back to whre I was as far as golf, hockey, lifting. But now almost 2 yrs out, I can do 30 pullups, lift the same weight, ect...it just takes time and if your active that's the hard part. Just sitting around. Xbox was good for this. I do have a lil soreness from time to time, I dont bench press anymore and no over head lifting. It's just not worth it. I really dont want to go through it again.

Take it easy and best of luck!

 

Great to hear from people who've been through this before and have no regrets! But to be in a recliner for four weeks? BRUTAL!

They basically told me to walk around the inside of my house for the first few days just to get circulation. But now I'm walking (carefully) for about five minutes outside. It doesn't cause any pain. I'm definitely walking with a light foot!

 

The surgery definitely works. I went from having a dislocation rolling over in bed to playing golf 3x a week in the summer and swining a softball bat with no problems. My range of motion isn't 100% and my arm is about 1.5 inches shorter than the other, but I'm no worse for wear!

 

Hey man sorry to hear about your surgery... I had the same a few years ago.... Was out of work for like 4 months and it achs with the weather now lol. Also i tried to get off the "heavy" pain meds asap and started taking the over the counter stuff.

 

Hey man, good to know other people have the same issue I had. I was misdiagnosed and they thought I tore my rotator cuff, but when they went inside me they found it was a torn labrum so they stringed it back together and sent me on my way. That was 13 months ago now. I still have a hard time with weight overhead sometimes but it is always getting better. The range of motion will come with time. Do exercises that the doctor recommends and it will all be better. "Stir the pot" exercise helps determine progress, that's how I felt I was making progress. Best of luck with the recovery, just take everything slow. Oh and btw, I still have two marks on my shoulder that never seemed to go away, like large bumps from the incisions. And NO LIFTING!!!!

 

What made you go with arthroscopic vs open?

 

My orthopedic surgeon specializes in arthroscopic with great results and he prefers that over the more invasive open shoulder operation. Pros and cons for both but they say arthroscopic recovery time and pain is generally less than open surgery. So far no complaints.

 

I also had arthroscopic... i ended up with a 4in cut in the front and a a very small on in the back... but then again my labrum was torn from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock... and not the short way!

 

Mine was originally diagnosed from the 3:00 - 6:00 position but they said the tear was actually bigger than that, thus the five anchors! I guess they don't fully know until they open you up.

I have two small bandages -- one on the back and one in the front. Minimal swelling and bruising which is nice!

 

I put a tat over my front scar... ill post a pic later... but i dont recommend it... it hurt like a mother!

 

For those who've had the procedure done -- was there a period of time in which you felt clunking, sticking, or the feeling that the shoulder joint isn't smooth?

I'm nine days post-op and for the last three or four days I've been experiencing this. It's kinda like the shoulder joint is trying to settle itself into position if my shoulder moves a certain way. It's accompanied by pain, too. It makes me hesitant to continue my exercises.

Usually happens during my out-of-sling exercises (pendulum, sawing motion) and also when I'm trying to put my sling back on or even when I move my body at the slightest.

It's a little unnerving but I don't think I ever did something serious enough to break any of the five anchors that are in my shoulder. I hope this is just part of the process. I've read that this sort of thing might happen if there's still fluid in the joint while the shoulder joint tries to settle in -- don't know the legitimacy of that. *Here is the link: http://slaptear.com/forum/12-physic...1-crackingpoppingsnapping-post-opwhats-normal *

It's quite painful at times and I can feel it clunk.

 

Never had that at all, check with your Doc.

 

<--- Physical Therapist.

The clunking is minor luxation of the shoulder joint. The shoulder is essentially a ball and socket situation with a tiny socket...think golf ball on a tee. The purpose of the labrum is to rim the glenoid fossa (the "socket") and make it deeper, thus increasing the stability of the joint.

Here's the thing: The musculoskeletal system has limited space for muscles, tendons, ligaments, chondral structures, connective fascia, nerves, arteries, veins, bones, plicae, etc. to all coexist.

When trauma occurs, structures swell from inflammation. The body doesn't know the difference between trauma from a surgeon's scalpel and trauma from a car wreck. Tissue damage is tissue damage, and the damaged structures will inflame.

The structures around your glenohumeral joint are inflamed right now. They're all swollen, which means they're running into/sliding past one another in ways they normally wouldn't. Additionally, the muscles surrounding the joint, especially the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor, if you want to look them up) are weak.

This is another one of the body's strange reactions to trauma. It decreases neuromuscular control in the area of damage. It's not that your muscles are actually weaker structurally, it's that the nervous system has a harder time controlling the muscle fibers right now. There are good physiological/biochemical reasons for why this happens, but I don't have time to get into it right now.

Why does muscle weakness matter? Well, just like the labrum, the purpose of the rotator cuff muscles is to help stabilize the shoulder joint. With that effect lessened, things move "out of place" when you move your arm.

So in effect, you're getting a triple whammy. You had surgery on one structure designed for stability (and it was damaged to boot), the surgery caused inflammation of local structures, and you have post operative weakness of muscles meant to help stabilize the joint as well.

NOW

Is this normal?

Yes, absolutely, given your diagnosis and surgery. Inflammation will decreased in time. Strength will return to your rotator cuff, especially if you do what your physical therapist tells you. The repair of your labrum should allow it to stabilize relatively closely to what it did pre-surgery, and hopefully with much less discomfort.

Rehab from this kind of procedure can be anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on exactly what the surgeon did and the rest of your medical history. Try to be patient.

For now, the best thing you can do is continue to follow the instructions of your surgeon and therapist to the T. DO NOT begin doing things they have not cleared you to do with that arm early, before they OK it. That's a good way to cause damage to surgical repairs, wreck the surgery, and set yourself up for another surgery and starting over from square one.

You're gonna be ok man. Think of rehab like growing hair. You don't notice a big change from day to day, but if you look back at today 4 weeks from now and compared the two, you will see a significant difference.

Important Additional Note: Try not to compare yourself with other people who have had this surgery. They do not have your shoulder, your medical history, your genetics, or your surgeon. Every surgery and rehabilitation plan is a custom job, because every person, and their situation, is different.

If these symptoms are still problematic for you and still present at the time of your next follow up with your surgeon, discuss it with him/her and they will investigate more thoroughly if they feel such investigation is warranted at this juncture.

 

The "running into/sliding past one another" sums it up perfectly! It feels like the joint is bumping into something before settling into place.

Thank you for your insight. Even though I know NO shoulder is the same, I still find myself comparing mine to others. Drives me nuts! I'm just going to let my body's healing powers work its mojo and hope the inflammation diminishes soon.

Thanks again jandrews.

 

Week two update.

 

I had issues several weeks into it that sounded similar. For me it was a motion like trying to fold towels, the movement to get the wrinkles out would cause an odd sensation that made it feel really odd. It eventually went away. One thing that helped me a lot was finding a really good massage therapists. I was amazed how tight the muscles in my shoulder were and in my back. Usually that would get me to the next phase of PT.