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Slap Happy

Good morning all,

My dear wife just had shoulder surgery yesterday for a Type 2 SLAP tear and partial thickness tear of her rotator cuff. The surgeon also clipped a few mm off her clavicle and cleaned up the joint. She is now resting comfortably at home and will begin PT in a couple of weeks.

I had several questions for the surgeon, who spent time answering them all.

The injury is probably the result of two accidents in the last several years. First, on a bicycle ride she crashed and dislocated her right shoulder. Second, our dog pulled and dragged her on the ground, injuring her hip and shoulder. After three years, she found the pain too much.

So, I wonder if anyone here has worked with a fresh shoulder surgery after healing and could suggest any other ROM/exercises besides the "salute in the sling." I know she will be limited until Thanksgiving, then she starts PT. She had good range and strength before surgery.

Thanks,

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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on November 11, 2010 at 10:32pm

Wait until she begins PT to do anything exercising. PT will do it all and will add more when she is ready. You don't want her to mess up the surgery. It is very important that the arm stays in the sling for now. She needs to obey the doctor. You too.

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Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on November 14, 2010 at 11:40am

I have a friend and a client who recently had this type of surgery. They were told to completely REST the joint and keep it in a sling until they started their physio. There is a progressive exercise program that will be laid out for them and it should be followed.
The only exercise I might suggest at this time is some wrist mobility (with the arm in the sling).Also neck mobility, since the sling hangs around the neck and mobility for the unaffected shoulder - again because of the sling.

As for the recovering shoulder - wait for the physio program!

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Permalink Reply by Jody C. Hutchinson on November 15, 2010 at 10:01am

Thanks for your comments. I just read the surgery report and was amazed that while the MRI only reported a SLAP tear and rotator cuff tear-the surgeon had a field day. He repaired two labral tear, removed the AC bursa, clipped about one cm off the clavicle, released the frayed AC ligament, and cleaned out arthritis in the AC joint. OUCH.
I'm wondering why the MRI only showed two problems and yet the surgeon seemed to find all sorts of stuff to work on. I question if having an MRI is helpful when we have had two times now where the ortho doc didn't really seem to need the scan. Any thoughts?
jh

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Permalink Reply by lee kalpin on November 15, 2010 at 1:11pm

I have seen this type of situation with several clients - the MRI shows problems which are serious enough to warrant surgery, so from that point of view the MRI is very helpful. Without that result, there would not be a decision to do the surgery. But once the surgeon is in there, he/she finds many more problems. So the MRI has served a useful purpose, but obviously it does not necessarily show everything!

Jody C. Hutchinson said:

Thanks for your comments. I just read the surgery report and was amazed that while the MRI only reported a SLAP tear and rotator cuff tear-the surgeon had a field day. He repaired two labral tear, removed the AC bursa, clipped about one cm off the clavicle, released the frayed AC ligament, and cleaned out arthritis in the AC joint. OUCH.
I'm wondering why the MRI only showed two problems and yet the surgeon seemed to find all sorts of stuff to work on. I question if having an MRI is helpful when we have had two times now where the ortho doc didn't really seem to need the scan. Any thoughts?
jh