Pain severe enough to prevent arm movement -> Rotator cuff tear treatment review

As people age, muscle aging occurs along with it, making joint pain common.

Among them, shoulder pain is as common as knee pain.

Here on Cashdoc, there are many posts about shoulder pain. My parents also had a shoulder pain and after an examination, they were diagnosed with rotator cuff tear. There are various treatments for rotator cuff tear, and they chose surgery. The exact name of the surgery is rotator cuff repair.

 

My father, as he entered old age, experienced sharp and aching pain in his shoulders whenever he raised his arms, making it difficult for him to lift his arms, and he complained of muscle pain throughout his entire arm. He usually does work that involves a lot of shoulder use. The examination results showed rotator cuff tear and calcific tendinitis. These conditions are commonly experienced by middle-aged men.

 

First of all, there is not only surgery as a treatment method for rotator cuff tears; there are several other options as well. Treatments for rotator cuff tears include injection therapy, manual therapy, shockwave therapy, and others. These methods can sometimes lead to improvement, so my father initially tried those methods, but his pain was already severe, and he did not see much effect. The examination revealed calcification between the bones, and surgery was recommended. At that time, his pain was so intense that he decided to undergo surgery. Due to work, he couldn't have the surgery immediately, and before the operation, he received manual therapy once a week and collagen injections every two weeks. At home, he also performed stretching, cat poses, and corrective exercises as supplementary treatments for the rotator cuff tear.

 

The surgical procedure involved removing shoulder calcifications, scraping out inflammation, and most importantly, treating a rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff was partially torn and was sutured using a supporting method. If this hadn't been possible, stitches would have been necessary, but fortunately, it was successfully connected using the supporting method.

 

I received pain relief injections for several days after the surgery, and afterwards I took oral painkillers. Pain varies from person to person, and while others in the same hospital room said they were in a lot of pain, my father was very fortunate to recover so quickly that the pain was almost gone after 2 to 3 days. The nurse also said that among the patients she has seen, his recovery was the fastest. Starting the day after the surgery, gentle manual therapy and physical therapy were also carried out simultaneously.

 

An shoulder brace is essential in the treatment of rotator cuff tears. To protect the shoulder after surgery, you must wear the brace for a month.

I remember purchasing the shoulder brace at the hospital, and it was quite expensive. At the time, I didn't have much information, so I just bought it, but I found out later that it was being sold secondhand at much lower prices.

A small tip: if you are about to have surgery, I recommend not purchasing from the hospital and instead buying secondhand. It's a ready-made product, not custom-made, and you don't need the auxiliary device after a month.

 

Wearing the brace keeps your arm in a bent position, which can cause numbness in your hand. That's why the brace has a pocket attached. You can hold a ball and squeeze and release it as an exercise.

 

 

The key to treating rotator cuff tears is consistent management and appropriate movement. You must wear the brace for a month, and walking exercises are especially recommended. After surgery, you shouldn't stay completely immobile. You need to exercise moderately. However, activities that involve a lot of shoulder movement, such as swimming or golf, are prohibited.

 

Currently, my father says that the pain has really significantly decreased after the surgery compared to before.

However, since you are no longer in your vigorous youth, your arms tend to hurt on days when you move your body a lot.

 

Once the rotator cuff tears, natural healing is not possible, and it is also difficult to heal through physical therapy. For those considering treatment for rotator cuff tears, it may be advisable to consider procedures or surgery.