Treating Your Rotator Cuff Injury
Your shoulder is one of the most used and important joints in your body. When there are problems with this joint, you can find yourself unable to do many of the activities that you enjoy, and you may also find that you experience intense pain. Unfortunately, rotator cuff injuries can be especially common shoulder problems, and this is an injury that will often require surgery to correct.
Do Only Athletes Require Rotator Cuff Surgery?
There is a common assumption that only athletes will suffer rotator cuff injuries that are severe enough to justify medical treatment. Yet, it is possible for almost anyone to suffer this type of injury. In addition to the risk of this damage occurring due to repetitive strain, individuals can also suffer this injury due to sudden accidents where they fall and land at an awkward angle. Appreciating that rotator cuff injuries are a fairly common condition for patients to face will allow you to consider this potential injury when you notice that you are suffering from shoulder problems.
Is Rotator Cuff Surgery A Major Procedure?
When a patient learns that they will need to undergo rotator cuff surgery, they might assume that this will be a minor outpatient procedure. Yet, rotator cuff surgery is actually fairly major. Patients will need to have powerful anesthetics administered to them, and this is a surgery that is likely to need to be done by a specialist. Lastly, patients that undergo this surgery can expect to need to miss some work or school as they will likely need to rest and recover for at least the first couple of days following the surgery.
What Type Of Recovery Can You Expect From Your Rotator Cuff Surgery?
For individuals that are suffering from rotator cuff injuries, it can seem as though they will have to suffer a permanent loss of their range of movement and strength. However, rotator cuff surgery is able to provide extremely effective repair for these injuries. While this surgery can correct the damage itself to the joint, the patient will also need to undergo physical therapy to help strengthen the joint. The amount of physical therapy that rotator cuff surgery patients require can vary based on the original damage to the joint as well as their own recovery abilities. Regardless of whether you feel like you are healthy enough to stop your physical therapy treatments, they should be continued until you are cleared by your doctor to stop. Otherwise, you could find that you have permanent weakness in the shoulder.
Speak with a shoulder surgeon to learn more.