You are an inspiration for sure!! I’m 5 months today. My progress has been slow, but improving every week, little at a time. I had rotator cuff & bicep surgery. I had 4 anchors put in..large tear recessed back some..I can finally walk my hand up the wall. Can’t get my arm up over my head yet. Thank you for the helpful hints, definitely helped me..
@JennilynEss aww, thank you! That means a lot. I'm glad the videos have been helpful, that was my goal! It sounds like we had some of the same procedures. Mine was a full thickness tear of the Supraspinatus tendon and a BIceps Tendonesis, along with 3 other procedures. My Supra tear was in such a position, I only required one anchor because it was centrally torn. The surgeon was able to overlap the torn tendon into one area. You have a lot more anchors, so it will take you a bit more time for sure...so it sounds like you're doing really well for that kind of damage! It sounds like you're making gains too. Keep working that range of motion consistently, every single day. While you're making small gains, it will all add up to success in the future. This is a tough surgery to come back from, so keep staying positive!
Thank you! You have to know, your rotator cuff content matters to those of us heading into surgery to get the RC repair. I get mine in two weeks. Thanks again for all you do! May God bless you!
Thank you! I'm so glad the videos have helped you. You are exactly why I put all the time and effort into producing them. Best wishes on your recovery.
@@livelongerlivestronger Thanks! I am 7 weeks post Op this Monday. I wish my range of motion would increase by inches each day but my PT says I need to be patient that recovery comes slowly from RC repair. The Doc and the PT says I am recovering faster than most. The last thing I want is a setback or re-tear so I am following their instructions very closely. I am doing the legs only elliptical at the gym though!
@@TheNewMexicoMan your PT is correct. It took a LONG time for me to recover. I made gains and would lose them daily. It was a constant battle up and down, like a roller coaster I describe in my Week 8 video. ua-cam.com/video/omSD79JWwgg/v-deo.html. If your healthcare team are telling you that you are doing better than normal, just keep doing what you're doing. You are doing way better than most by simply following instructions closely. I did exactly the same as you can see/hear in the videos. Keep doing what you're doing. Don't over exert or do something your healthcare team hasn't authorized you to do yet. It takes time, but being patient is THE WAY TO GO. You're through the hardest part, don't trip up on the 10 yard-line. Keep up the good work. You got this!
@@livelongerlivestronger Thank you for the week 8 link. Everything you describe in it, I am experiencing! Doing mini sessions and shoulder packing is brilliant! Clarification please: Shoulder packing - you bring your scapulas together and squeeze, then bring your shoulders down as if you are carrying dumbbells in each hand and from that position, do you do flexion movements/stretches. Is that correct?
@@TheNewMexicoMan Correct on position. That position is what we need to learn to maintain during all our movements. It is a position of strength and stability for our rotator cuff muscles. I made sure to pack my shoulders during everything I did starting week 8 and it helped tremendously. Here is a link to the entire playlist of my recovery for your convenience. I show this in many videos moving past week 8 to include many other movements. Be sure to notate which week I was in when I got clearance for each and consult with your healthcare team those types of things are OK for you to do before you do them. Hope it helps! ua-cam.com/play/PLQSf5JL3jJjSHFX3dxy1_j9Hxyv-jKAoo.html
This would all depend on where the tear actually was. I do all you do, but must do it from laying down. Due to my complete tear, I am not allowed to reach out in front of me yet, push or pull. But thank you for this video! It was honestly a HUGE help.
Tmrw I'm in week 11. i tried all the ones you showed & could almost do them all. Because of my bicep tare, my behind the back stuff is still hard.❤ 5 star video & new subscriber here.
That's fantastic! My behind the back was super stiff as well. Check out my Week 13 video at about 3:54 into the video, I go into another stretch that really helped that range of motion behind my back. Here is the entire playlist for your convenience. I go through several other things in Week 11 and 12 videos as well. ua-cam.com/play/PLQSf5JL3jJjSHFX3dxy1_j9Hxyv-jKAoo.html
So glad to hear your recovery is still going smoothly! I'm 7.5 weeks out now, and my PT and Surgeon are happy with everything except my external/internal rotation. I'm 100% with you on the stiffness stuff. The stretching goes great and then an hour later, the stiffness has me feeling all locked up again. I've added another two stretching sessions per day to help try to alleviate it. It hasn't paid off yet, but hoping that it will in the future.
Mike S - I've found adding about 5+ stretching sessions help. It doesn't alleviate the stiffness, but it keeps my shoulder just a little more free. Doing the extra mobility has overall made my progress faster, than without it. You're right though, we still get stiff. The goal is, to not get quite as stiff. I was the same at around 7.5 weeks, very tight on internal/external rotation. Do what your PT prescribes, but for me, the stretches I show in this video have done wonders over the past 2 weeks. My external rotation is almost back to normal. Surgeon said external rotation is a tough one to come back. Keep up the great work, it sounds like you are progressing well!
@@poolmilethirty2859 apologies for the late reply. I should be more accessible now. Here is an affiliate link if you need: myrangemaster.com?afc=14 I hope your recovery is going well!
Absolutely an awesome series of videos. I've found your protocols / exercises to be extremely beneficial. i certainly plan to follow your week by week practices. Again - thanks so much for taking the time to produce these episodes. JM
Thank you, John! I'm so glad the videos have been helpful to you. That was exactly my goal. Knowing they do help a lot of people makes it well worth the time spent putting them together. Keep up the good work, you will be back to normal in no time!
I’m right where you are apparently. My concern was I was slipping back due to pain. Patients apparently is not my strong suit. My PT therapist is ecstatic with the ROM etc.. Thanks for the encouragement and I couldn’t agree more with the product endorsement. Pulley is my favorite part of warm up and follow up. Thanks again!
Hey Cliff! It sounds like you are right where you need to be at your point of recovery. Be consistent with your therapy and patience. Good changes are right around the corner! You are most welcome. I'm glad the content has been helpful!
Appreciate the effort you make with this very helpful series. I'm at 10 wks today. Had full thickness supra tear double anchor, biceps tenodesis single anchor, distal clavicle resection and labral debridement. That 6 wk imprisonment in the brace was really tough. I start strength at wk 12 and no weight bearing until wk 16. I'm certain I can benefit from continuing to follow your regimen along with my pt's advice. Thank you. Rick
Yes, the 6 week sentence was ROUGH to say the least. It was so good to be out of that sling. It sounds like you are about on the same progression I was. Week 12 strength training was welcome, but rough on week 13 as you may have already watched in the series. You are most welcome. I'm glad the videos are helping!
I’ve been watching all your videos. Thank you for doing it. Question. Do you feel pain when you do the exercises or just stiffness? I do my exercises but some of them give me some pain. Are you still experiencing pain even if it’s a small amount? Thanks!!
@Leo Gomez thank you. You are most welcome. I was hoping to help others with the video, so I'm glad to hear I am. I talked about the pain in the Week 8 video toward the end. Yes, I experience pain during some exercises. Here are two examples: #1 - When I first started doing active ASSISTED range of motion with a pulley, my shoulder felt pain getting that arm above my head at all. Mostly it was discomfort, but I had some sharp pains as well. Over time, with repeated movement in that position, the sharp pains went away completely. #2 - The same thing happened when I started ACTIVE range of motion. I could lift my arm over my head with great effort as you will see at the beginning of the Week 8 video, but when I came down in the eccentric phase of that rep, you will see in the video I grabbed my arm. It was because there was definitive pain. That pain has diminished greatly. Now, when I am warmed up say on my 2nd set of now 20 reps on each movement, there is absolutely no pain. In fact, my shoulder feels close to normal. Whenever I have first started doing a new movement, I mostly have discomfort, but do get some associated pain as well. The more I do that movement over days/weeks, the less I get any pain. The more you do the movement, the less you will get any pain and even discomfort. This can take days or weeks, but it does progress to being more and more normal as you go.
Definitely talk to your healthcare team for your specific recovery protocols. There are differences with a shoulder replacement, but you should be able to use most of these concepts for your recovery. It's always best to confirm with your healthcare team.
it's a great vdo Andrew. I must say you helped me to trust the process. Second RC repair surgery, 9 weeks PO. Till 8 weeks things were good expect external rotation but pain, stiffness came back badly after starting Active ROM. Was getting click sounds and kept on scared if I tear it again. You are so so correct about pushing too much and I did that mistake. One qs, do you think it might increase pain by doing the moves and stretches 5-6 times through out the day? PT has put me back to Assisted ROM now. Stretching feels good but then after sometime stiffness comes back and I am back on reduced range. Your stretching and exercises for assisted ROM are great. Hope things will be better in coming days ..
@Sanghamitra Das thank you! I'm so glad to hear the videos are helping. My doctor and PT both say external rotation and external rotation in abduction are the last things to come back. I've experienced the same thing. With an increase in activity, load, duration, or intensity, what follows is typically increased inflammation, stiffness, and achiness. So they good news is you're totally normal! Don't worry, I've made that mistake too. It's easy to do. At 9 weeks, for me VERY light mobility sessions to gently stretch ranges was a great thing. I didn't push into ranges at all. I saved that for my normal PT sessions. However, those "mini-sessions" of light stretching did wonders. I truly believe that motion is lotion. I just had to make sure to use movements that did not increase inflammation or discomfort. Remember, this is a roller coaster ride we are on, but the overall trend is upward! Keep being positive and you will get there!
Thank you so much that gave me some hope I’m 5 months post surgery I still have a lot off difficulty I had very intensive surgery rotator cuff torn,labrum ,they had to remove pice off biceps was 7 weeks in sling .
@Nisera Radoncic you're most welcome! I had many of the same repairs...a full thickness tear of the supraspinatus, focal tear of the labrum with extension into the biceps tendon, which required a biceps tenodesis. A distal clavicular resection, acromioplasty, and clean up of arthropathy. I was in a sling for almost as long at 6 weeks, so I know what you mean about difficulty. It's no cake walk and it takes time to heal, but keep doing what your healthcare team asks and stay positive. It's a marathon and you WILL win it!
Sue, no worries! I had the same issue. The pulley was not my best friend for a long time. That's totally normal. There are many other things you can try, including the box stretches (prayer stretch), wall walks, stick/cane assistance, etc. Keep on working, you will get there too!
@@livelongerlivestronger 8 sessions of PT and had a friend tell me they should ice my shoulder after therapy?? Maybe that is why it is sore all the time??
@@sueastrop6509 it's unfortunately normal for the shoulder to be stiff and achy or sore all the time after a major surgery. At least it was for me and most others. There is no harm in icing if it helps with discomfort. The best thing I found is moving it consistently with what I call "Mini Sessions". I go over that on the Week 8 video. I also go over more about being stiff and achy in the Week 11 video and beyond. The short version is that "motion is lotion". Move and stretch often. The stiffness and achiness finally started going away around Week 15-16. We are all different, so it make take less or more time for you. It did take time for mine. The most important thing I did was to find a good physical therapist and follow his guidelines to the letter. I have a video with his advice as well. I recommend listening to it. Be patient, take your time. Shoulder surgery recovery is a marathon. You WILL get there!
@@sueastrop6509 awesome, thank you! The best videos are past week 10, when I was able to use two hands more. I hope those help your recovery as well. Best wishes on your journey!
You are an inspiration for sure!! I’m 5 months today. My progress has been slow, but improving every week, little at a time. I had rotator cuff & bicep surgery. I had 4 anchors put in..large tear recessed back some..I can finally walk my hand up the wall. Can’t get my arm up over my head yet. Thank you for the helpful hints, definitely helped me..
@JennilynEss aww, thank you! That means a lot. I'm glad the videos have been helpful, that was my goal!
It sounds like we had some of the same procedures. Mine was a full thickness tear of the Supraspinatus tendon and a BIceps Tendonesis, along with 3 other procedures. My Supra tear was in such a position, I only required one anchor because it was centrally torn. The surgeon was able to overlap the torn tendon into one area. You have a lot more anchors, so it will take you a bit more time for sure...so it sounds like you're doing really well for that kind of damage! It sounds like you're making gains too.
Keep working that range of motion consistently, every single day. While you're making small gains, it will all add up to success in the future. This is a tough surgery to come back from, so keep staying positive!
Thank you! You have to know, your rotator cuff content matters to those of us heading into surgery to get the RC repair. I get mine in two weeks. Thanks again for all you do! May God bless you!
Thank you! I'm so glad the videos have helped you. You are exactly why I put all the time and effort into producing them. Best wishes on your recovery.
@@livelongerlivestronger Thanks!
I am 7 weeks post Op this Monday. I wish my range of motion would increase by inches each day but my PT says I need to be patient that recovery comes slowly from RC repair. The Doc and the PT says I am recovering faster than most. The last thing I want is a setback or re-tear so I am following their instructions very closely. I am doing the legs only elliptical at the gym though!
@@TheNewMexicoMan your PT is correct. It took a LONG time for me to recover. I made gains and would lose them daily. It was a constant battle up and down, like a roller coaster I describe in my Week 8 video. ua-cam.com/video/omSD79JWwgg/v-deo.html. If your healthcare team are telling you that you are doing better than normal, just keep doing what you're doing. You are doing way better than most by simply following instructions closely. I did exactly the same as you can see/hear in the videos. Keep doing what you're doing. Don't over exert or do something your healthcare team hasn't authorized you to do yet. It takes time, but being patient is THE WAY TO GO. You're through the hardest part, don't trip up on the 10 yard-line. Keep up the good work. You got this!
@@livelongerlivestronger Thank you for the week 8 link. Everything you describe in it, I am experiencing! Doing mini sessions and shoulder packing is brilliant!
Clarification please: Shoulder packing - you bring your scapulas together and squeeze, then bring your shoulders down as if you are carrying dumbbells in each hand and from that position, do you do flexion movements/stretches. Is that correct?
@@TheNewMexicoMan Correct on position. That position is what we need to learn to maintain during all our movements. It is a position of strength and stability for our rotator cuff muscles. I made sure to pack my shoulders during everything I did starting week 8 and it helped tremendously. Here is a link to the entire playlist of my recovery for your convenience. I show this in many videos moving past week 8 to include many other movements. Be sure to notate which week I was in when I got clearance for each and consult with your healthcare team those types of things are OK for you to do before you do them. Hope it helps! ua-cam.com/play/PLQSf5JL3jJjSHFX3dxy1_j9Hxyv-jKAoo.html
This would all depend on where the tear actually was. I do all you do, but must do it from laying down. Due to my complete tear, I am not allowed to reach out in front of me yet, push or pull. But thank you for this video! It was honestly a HUGE help.
Tmrw I'm in week 11. i tried all the ones you showed & could almost do them all. Because of my bicep tare, my behind the back stuff is still hard.❤ 5 star video & new subscriber here.
That's fantastic! My behind the back was super stiff as well. Check out my Week 13 video at about 3:54 into the video, I go into another stretch that really helped that range of motion behind my back. Here is the entire playlist for your convenience. I go through several other things in Week 11 and 12 videos as well. ua-cam.com/play/PLQSf5JL3jJjSHFX3dxy1_j9Hxyv-jKAoo.html
So glad to hear your recovery is still going smoothly! I'm 7.5 weeks out now, and my PT and Surgeon are happy with everything except my external/internal rotation. I'm 100% with you on the stiffness stuff. The stretching goes great and then an hour later, the stiffness has me feeling all locked up again. I've added another two stretching sessions per day to help try to alleviate it. It hasn't paid off yet, but hoping that it will in the future.
Mike S - I've found adding about 5+ stretching sessions help. It doesn't alleviate the stiffness, but it keeps my shoulder just a little more free. Doing the extra mobility has overall made my progress faster, than without it. You're right though, we still get stiff. The goal is, to not get quite as stiff. I was the same at around 7.5 weeks, very tight on internal/external rotation. Do what your PT prescribes, but for me, the stretches I show in this video have done wonders over the past 2 weeks. My external rotation is almost back to normal. Surgeon said external rotation is a tough one to come back. Keep up the great work, it sounds like you are progressing well!
@@poolmilethirty2859 apologies for the late reply. I should be more accessible now. Here is an affiliate link if you need:
myrangemaster.com?afc=14
I hope your recovery is going well!
Absolutely an awesome series of videos. I've found your protocols / exercises to be extremely beneficial. i certainly plan to follow your week by week practices. Again - thanks so much for taking the time to produce these episodes. JM
Thank you, John! I'm so glad the videos have been helpful to you. That was exactly my goal. Knowing they do help a lot of people makes it well worth the time spent putting them together. Keep up the good work, you will be back to normal in no time!
I’m right where you are apparently. My concern was I was slipping back due to pain. Patients apparently is not my strong suit. My PT therapist is ecstatic with the ROM etc.. Thanks for the encouragement and I couldn’t agree more with the product endorsement. Pulley is my favorite part of warm up and follow up. Thanks again!
Hey Cliff! It sounds like you are right where you need to be at your point of recovery. Be consistent with your therapy and patience. Good changes are right around the corner! You are most welcome. I'm glad the content has been helpful!
Appreciate the effort you make with this very helpful series. I'm at 10 wks today. Had full thickness supra tear double anchor, biceps tenodesis single anchor, distal clavicle resection and labral debridement. That 6 wk imprisonment in the brace was really tough. I start strength at wk 12 and no weight bearing until wk 16. I'm certain I can benefit from continuing to follow your regimen along with my pt's advice. Thank you. Rick
Yes, the 6 week sentence was ROUGH to say the least. It was so good to be out of that sling. It sounds like you are about on the same progression I was. Week 12 strength training was welcome, but rough on week 13 as you may have already watched in the series. You are most welcome. I'm glad the videos are helping!
I’ve been watching all your videos. Thank you for doing it. Question. Do you feel pain when you do the exercises or just stiffness? I do my exercises but some of them give me some pain. Are you still experiencing pain even if it’s a small amount? Thanks!!
@Leo Gomez thank you. You are most welcome. I was hoping to help others with the video, so I'm glad to hear I am. I talked about the pain in the Week 8 video toward the end. Yes, I experience pain during some exercises. Here are two examples:
#1 - When I first started doing active ASSISTED range of motion with a pulley, my shoulder felt pain getting that arm above my head at all. Mostly it was discomfort, but I had some sharp pains as well. Over time, with repeated movement in that position, the sharp pains went away completely.
#2 - The same thing happened when I started ACTIVE range of motion. I could lift my arm over my head with great effort as you will see at the beginning of the Week 8 video, but when I came down in the eccentric phase of that rep, you will see in the video I grabbed my arm. It was because there was definitive pain. That pain has diminished greatly. Now, when I am warmed up say on my 2nd set of now 20 reps on each movement, there is absolutely no pain. In fact, my shoulder feels close to normal.
Whenever I have first started doing a new movement, I mostly have discomfort, but do get some associated pain as well. The more I do that movement over days/weeks, the less I get any pain. The more you do the movement, the less you will get any pain and even discomfort. This can take days or weeks, but it does progress to being more and more normal as you go.
Can I use these points and concepts for reverse shoulder replacement ?surgery
Definitely talk to your healthcare team for your specific recovery protocols. There are differences with a shoulder replacement, but you should be able to use most of these concepts for your recovery. It's always best to confirm with your healthcare team.
it's a great vdo Andrew. I must say you helped me to trust the process. Second RC repair surgery, 9 weeks PO. Till 8 weeks things were good expect external rotation but pain, stiffness came back badly after starting Active ROM. Was getting click sounds and kept on scared if I tear it again. You are so so correct about pushing too much and I did that mistake.
One qs, do you think it might increase pain by doing the moves and stretches 5-6 times through out the day?
PT has put me back to Assisted ROM now. Stretching feels good but then after sometime stiffness comes back and I am back on reduced range. Your stretching and exercises for assisted ROM are great. Hope things will be better in coming days ..
@Sanghamitra Das thank you! I'm so glad to hear the videos are helping. My doctor and PT both say external rotation and external rotation in abduction are the last things to come back. I've experienced the same thing. With an increase in activity, load, duration, or intensity, what follows is typically increased inflammation, stiffness, and achiness. So they good news is you're totally normal! Don't worry, I've made that mistake too. It's easy to do.
At 9 weeks, for me VERY light mobility sessions to gently stretch ranges was a great thing. I didn't push into ranges at all. I saved that for my normal PT sessions. However, those "mini-sessions" of light stretching did wonders. I truly believe that motion is lotion. I just had to make sure to use movements that did not increase inflammation or discomfort. Remember, this is a roller coaster ride we are on, but the overall trend is upward! Keep being positive and you will get there!
Thank you so much that gave me some hope I’m 5 months post surgery I still have a lot off difficulty I had very intensive surgery rotator cuff torn,labrum ,they had to remove pice off biceps was 7 weeks in sling .
@Nisera Radoncic you're most welcome! I had many of the same repairs...a full thickness tear of the supraspinatus, focal tear of the labrum with extension into the biceps tendon, which required a biceps tenodesis. A distal clavicular resection, acromioplasty, and clean up of arthropathy. I was in a sling for almost as long at 6 weeks, so I know what you mean about difficulty. It's no cake walk and it takes time to heal, but keep doing what your healthcare team asks and stay positive. It's a marathon and you WILL win it!
Question: if you earn a living by moving a mouse on a desktop (with the operated arm), how long after surgery can you likely do that?
I wish I found you sooner.
@Nisera Radoncic thank you! I'm so glad the videos are helpful!!
I can’t use pulley. Irritates my sciatica
Sue, no worries! I had the same issue. The pulley was not my best friend for a long time. That's totally normal. There are many other things you can try, including the box stretches (prayer stretch), wall walks, stick/cane assistance, etc. Keep on working, you will get there too!
@@livelongerlivestronger
8 sessions of PT and had a friend tell me they should ice my shoulder after therapy??
Maybe that is why it is sore all the time??
@@sueastrop6509 it's unfortunately normal for the shoulder to be stiff and achy or sore all the time after a major surgery. At least it was for me and most others. There is no harm in icing if it helps with discomfort. The best thing I found is moving it consistently with what I call "Mini Sessions". I go over that on the Week 8 video. I also go over more about being stiff and achy in the Week 11 video and beyond. The short version is that "motion is lotion". Move and stretch often. The stiffness and achiness finally started going away around Week 15-16. We are all different, so it make take less or more time for you. It did take time for mine. The most important thing I did was to find a good physical therapist and follow his guidelines to the letter. I have a video with his advice as well. I recommend listening to it. Be patient, take your time. Shoulder surgery recovery is a marathon. You WILL get there!
Thank you. I have been enjoying your videos and learned so much!!!!
@@sueastrop6509 awesome, thank you! The best videos are past week 10, when I was able to use two hands more. I hope those help your recovery as well. Best wishes on your journey!