Photo by Inge Poelman on Unsplash
Before jumping straight to surgery it’s always best to thoroughly explore your options with your orthopaedic specialist. Surgery should never be your first resort as it carries with it plenty of risk, but there are instances where surgery should be seriously considered. Whether or not you have surgery, it’s always a good idea to do your research so that you make an informed decision and are empowered. The idea of surgery can be scary and overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to expect. So, the more you know, the better.
Here are some instances when you should consider rotator cuff surgery:
Sudden Injury
When you’ve had a severe injury out of the blue – in a car accident for instance – and have seriously torn your rotator cuff, then surgery may be a good idea. Your orthopaedic specialist will assess you to see if you’ve developed a weakness in this area. If this is the case, then you may want to get surgery as soon as possible to help speed up your body’s healing process and regain strength and range of motion.
Persistent Symptoms
If you have had a rotator cuff injury for over 3-6months and are still experiencing symptoms such as pain when lifting your arm up, pain that prevents you from sleeping on your injured side, muscle weakness, and limited range of motion, then you should consider rotator cuff surgery. It is important to note that everyone heals at different rates, and you should always seek advice from your specialist before seeking out surgery.
When Not to Consider Surgery:
When You Have a Good Chance of Reversing the Damage by Allowing Your Body to Heal Naturally
If you have been getting plenty of rest, using ice and anti-inflammatory medicine, have been working with your physiotherapist, and are making good progress with regaining your strength, then it’s likely that surgery won’t be needed.
When You Have Rotator Cuff Damage from Natural Wear and Tear
When your pain is from natural occurrences such as repetitive movements that lead to wear and tear and you have had these tears for a long time then, unfortunately, there’s not much that surgery can do to help you reverse the damage. However, if your pain is severe and impacts your daily living and quality of life, then you can have surgery that relieves this. A type of surgery called Subacromial smoothing can help remove scar tissue and thus reduce your pain.
Whether you have surgery or not, you will need to have patience with your body’s natural healing process and will need to see a physiotherapist to support your recovery. He or she will recommend a few exercises that you can do to strengthen the muscle and tendons that make up your rotator cuff. It is extremely important that you do these exercises daily to build up the muscle and support the joint.
Wherever you are in your recovery journey, Dr Baba will be here to support you and to answer all your questions relating to rotator cuff surgery.