Shoulder impingement/ rotator cuff - anyone got full movement back?

ClothCatManiac · 2021-10-23T02:21:21+00:00

Has anyone got full range of movement back after having shoulder impingement / rotator cuff problem? With surgery or without? I’m seeing nhs physio who’s given me exercises which are helping a bit with the pain and some slightly increased motion but it’s nowhere near what it should be and I can’t seem to get any imaging as they are convinced there is no tear or anything seriously wrong.

christmascrazylady · 23/10/2021 03:34

My husband had his operation last year after coming of his dirt bike. It has taken him 12 months to recover but the doctor says because he is over 50 he may never get full movement eg be able to put his arm straight up in the air. He went back to work after 4 months as a tradie and sometimes gets a sore arm if he does too much and has also got back on the bike

maisie123 · 23/10/2021 05:19

I had a full thickness tear of my tendon. I have been religiously doing my physio exercises and would say it's 95% back to normal. I'm 65 and it started 6 months ago. I was offered an injection but decided to wait to give physio a go first. Also told I could have an operation if physio/injection didn't work. The physio told me the problem is most people lose patience and give up on their exercises .

Midgetwithaplan · 23/10/2021 05:57

I did, but I did my exercises 5 or 6 times a day and saw a private physio weekly for manipulation, massage and infrared treatment to reduce inflammation (also started this treatment within a week of the injury happening)

LakieLady · 23/10/2021 06:03

Yes.

Had surgery on mine 6 years ago and it changed my life. For the first time in years I could raise my arm above shoulder level without pain, and haven't had a twinge out of it ever since.

I practically kissed the surgeon at the post-op appointment, I was so pleased.

AlphabetAerobics · 23/10/2021 06:04

98% movement, but not without significant pain when it comes to using it for weight-bearing. Eg push-ups.

DorisFlies · 23/10/2021 06:28

I had the injection a couple of times, sports massage and sessions with a PT who specialises in people with mobility issues. Much improved but don't anticipate ever getting full range of movement back

SarahBellam · 23/10/2021 06:36

My partner went to see a deep tissue sports massage therapist for a few sessions who helped him enormously. Not quite sure what she did, but a few days after the first session he noticed that he went to get something out of the fridge and did it pain free for the first time in two years.

stravagante · 23/10/2021 07:25

Me!! No surgery but had some painful Physio. The thing that really did it though was deep tissue massage. Hurt a lot, in a good way, and then I suddenly had full movement back. It had been waking me up and felt like barbed wire inside. Massage = amazing.

Libelula21 · 23/10/2021 07:29

I had a rotator cuff repair after a cycling accident when I was 33. NHS physio confessed after 6 weeks that she’d read my notes wrongly and had got me to do the wrong exercises. I went for private physio, and that was really helpful, esp the massage. By two years I was fully recovered, as good as new (and probably before that, that’s when I noticed I was swimming in a straight line again!) Good luck!

NoWordForFluffy · 23/10/2021 07:32

Yes! Full thickness tear of the supraspinatus with impingement. I had surgery in March 2019 and was fully recovered and discharged from physio after 6 months (I couldn't start physio until 6 weeks post op as I wasn't allowed to move my arm).

It aches a bit after heavy work and also clicks. But my other, non-injured, shoulder does too, so it's clearly - at least partly - constitutional.

However...I kept good - albeit very painful - movement before the op (surprising my physio and surgeon) as I adapted really well.

Dressingdown1 · 23/10/2021 07:36

I damaged my rotator cuff and also broke a bone in my shoulder 6 years ago. I had several private physio sessions and was absolutely religious about doing my exercises every day. I got back virtually full use of my arm within about 9 months. I get an occasional twinge but otherwise it's back to normal

HeartvsBrain · 23/10/2021 07:43

I was just talking to someone about this yesterday, she had it a few years back. They gave her steroid injections and told her to take anti-inflamatory tablets (following instructions of course, and they are not suitable for quite a lot of people, in which case you would probably be advised to take paracetamol instead) about an hour before doing their exercises. I don't think it took too long for her to get her full range of movements back. However, if yours turns out to be more serious then you might end up having to have an operation, but people usually get very good results after having the operation as long as they have patience and follow the instructions. Good luck OP, I hope you are pain free very soon 💐

Pucarbuile · 23/10/2021 08:10

I've had 6 months of very painful and intense physiotherapy which restored most of the movement but I still have problems with undoing my bra so was referred for mri which showed fill thickness rotator cuff tendon tear. Now on a 6 month wait for surgical review.

peoniesandpastels · 23/10/2021 09:08

I had a superior labrum anterior and posterior tear, with impingement. Surgery got me full movement back but my shoulder is still a bit loose and clunky. Tires more quickly than my other arm if I'm hefting my toddler about. I have joint hypermobility anyway, so that likely impaired the healing process a bit.

Purpleguitar · 23/10/2021 09:26

I had rotator cuff problems a few years back. Needed physio and infra red treatment to heal it. Did alot of the given exercises as well. A year later I joined the gym and worked with a PT to strengthen the shoulder again. I've had no further problems after 5 years.

hettie · 23/10/2021 09:30

Yeah but it took nearly a year and a cortisone injection physio was tedious as hell but did work eventually

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 23/10/2021 09:46

I fractured shoulder two years ago - sort of head butting a wall at a strange angle 🤣... And had impingement.
I was lucky in that as soon as the fracture healed, I had lots of physio /infrared and acupuncture...

I followed the tedious exercises to the letter... Writing down exactly how many times daily and noted how painful it had been on a 1-10 pain scale.

I have got virtually full movement within about 12 months... And most achey pain and sharp pain has now disappeared. Very ocassionally it's achey - nothing dramatic though and nothing tja t would stop me having a normal day.

Good luck!

Original poster

ClothCatManiac · 23/10/2021 09:55

Thanks very much everyone. Quite a range of experiences, I can’t believe how much trouble this thing causes, I’m still coming to terms with it really.

I’ll definitely give these exercises and nhs physio a go. But just when I think it’s helping I’ll do a sudden movement and it’s like back to square one so I can’t help feel something is torn and just keeps tearing. I cannot put my hand behind my back which is a nuisance or straight up. I’ll give this a bit longer but seems I might have to be prepared to go privately if I don’t get anywhere.
Thanks again for info.

OP posts:

Original poster

ClothCatManiac · 23/10/2021 10:07

@stravagante

Me!! No surgery but had some painful Physio. The thing that really did it though was deep tissue massage. Hurt a lot, in a good way, and then I suddenly had full movement back. It had been waking me up and felt like barbed wire inside. Massage = amazing.

That sounds amazing. Was it private or nhs?

OP posts:

stravagante · 23/10/2021 10:09

It was just a massage at a local beauty salon- I genuinely couldn't believe it. I think the physio and exercises had been doing some good beforehand, but I remember being able to do full breaststroke like movements after and nearly crying. She pushed away all the knots that were there.

Original poster

ClothCatManiac · 23/10/2021 10:10

@HeartvsBrain

I was just talking to someone about this yesterday, she had it a few years back. They gave her steroid injections and told her to take anti-inflamatory tablets (following instructions of course, and they are not suitable for quite a lot of people, in which case you would probably be advised to take paracetamol instead) about an hour before doing their exercises. I don't think it took too long for her to get her full range of movements back. However, if yours turns out to be more serious then you might end up having to have an operation, but people usually get very good results after having the operation as long as they have patience and follow the instructions. Good luck OP, I hope you are pain free very soon 💐

My GP has prescribed Naproxen (and omeprazole to protect stomach) but it wears off half way through the night which is when the pain wakes me up. It doesn’t start off painful but halfway through by the time I’ve rolled onto it is when it starts aching so no pain killer is going to be any use!

OP posts: