Rotator Cuff Repair

Shoulder surgery can bevery difficult surgery to recover from.  This joint takes a long time to recover fully and it is vitally important that you follow EXACTLY what your surgeon instructs you to do.  We have seen cases where patients didn’t follow doctor orders and invariably the rehabilitation is more long and more difficult.  So be very careful to find out if you have restrictions, what the restrictions are, and to follow those restrictions religiously.  Come to therapy when your doctor tells you and we will help regain the full function of your shoulder.

Many times your surgeon will give you “Pendulum” exercises to complete at home after a surgery (a rotator cuff repair, for example).  This is an effective exercise to complete IF you do it right.

ONLY COMPLETE THIS EXERCISE IF PRESCRIBED BY YOUR SURGEON

The theory behind this exercise is that momentum is what moves the shoulder – not the muscles in the shoulder that were recently repaired surgically.  Your surgeon gave this exercise as it is a way to move the shoulder without having the activate the muscles.

Simply lean over and dangle the arm – begin moving your body back and forth and let the momentum of the movements of your body move your shoulder back and forth.  Move your body in all directions – up and down, back and forth, and your shoulder will also move in all directions.  Complete this exercise as prescribed by your surgeon so you don’t come to therapy with no movement in the shoulder and also to avoid a contracture in the shoulder.