Pain Level After Rotator Cuff Surgery

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint, keeping the upper arm bone firm within the shoulder’s shallow socket. It may get damaged or torn due to injury, age-related degeneration, repeated use/overuse, and other traumatic events. A rotator cuff injury affects shoulder function, limiting one's ability to perform daily activities comfortably. Several people resort to surgery to treat their rotator cuff injury if other less-invasive treatment methods fail. However, like every surgical procedure, while rotator cuff surgery aims to relieve pain and restore function, patients may experience some pain post-surgery. 

Regardless of the pain level, pain after rotator cuff surgery may cause significant discomfort that the initial procedure aimed to relieve. This article will explore the causes of pain after rotator cuff surgery, pain levels to expect, and effective pain management strategies that can relieve pain at FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers - Hickory Flat. 

Why May You Need Rotator Cuff Surgery?

Like every other type of surgery, a healthcare professional will only recommend surgery if and when other less invasive treatment options fail to address your rotator cuff damage and shoulder pain. Therefore, the most common reasons for rotator cuff injury include:

• Age-related degeneration: The older you are, the more likely you are to injure your rotator cuff due to the wear and tear of the tendons from long years of use. This is why rotator cuff pain and injury are most common in adults over 60.

• Occupational demand: Overuse of the rotator cuffs is one of the leading causes of injury. Physically demanding jobs that require constant overhead arm motions can lead to rotator cuff injury. 

• Traumatic events: Blunt force or direct trauma to the shoulder can damage the rotator cuffs. Traumatic events such as falls, motor accidents, collisions during sports, physical assault, etc, can damage your rotator cuff, hence the need for rotator cuff surgery.

• Degenerative conditions: If you suffer from arthritis and other degenerative conditions in your shoulder, you may develop rotator cuff injuries that need surgical intervention. 

Why Do You Have Pain After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Pain is a common part of the healing process after rotator cuff surgery, as with every other type of surgery. The first few days immediately after surgery are the most painful because the body is responding to surgical trauma. During this period, your pain levels are high, and your healthcare professional may recommend pain-relieving medications and techniques to manage pain. A few weeks after the surgery, acute pain should begin to decrease. Patients may still experience some level of discomfort when they move around. However, with proper post-surgery care, there will be a rapid decline in the pain level compared to a few weeks before. 

While pain levels continue to decrease several months after the surgery, some patients may develop chronic pain due to complications if their post-surgical pain persists or occurs occasionally for several months after surgery. Common causes of lingering pain after rotator cuff surgery include:

• Nerve injury: If the nerves become damaged while the surgeon cuts through tissues, you may experience a surgical complication leading to chronic pain even after rotator cuff surgery.

• Infection: While patients may be given antibiotics during rotator cuff surgery, they may still develop infections that may lead to complications. 

• Surgical Trauma: Surgery is an invasive procedure that involves cutting through the skin to access the affected area. The body's response to surgical trauma may lead to chronic pain.

• Inflammation: You may experience swelling and pain in the shoulder after rotator cuff surgery. 

• Muscle spasms: The muscles around the shoulder joint may try to stabilize the joint after repair. However, surgical changes in the rotator cuff may cause muscle spasms or cramps, leading to pain.

• Tendon re-tear: Your rotator cuff may retear even after surgery, leading to severe pain.

Factors Influencing Pain Level After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Several factors may influence your level of pain after rotator cuff repair surgery. Some of these may include:

• The extent of the rotator cuff tear or damage
• The complexity of the surgery 
• The individual pain threshold of the patient
• Health condition of the patient before surgery
• Quality of post-operative care
• Patient compliance and lifestyle choices, etc

Physical Therapy For High Pain Levels After Rotator Cuff Surgery

If your shoulder pain persists even after rotator cuff surgery, you may need to explore physical therapy in Woodstock, GA, a non-invasive yet effective treatment option. Physical therapy is a healthcare specialization that promotes, maintains, and restores physical health through several non-invasive techniques. This treatment option can manage pain, restore physical function in the shoulders, and prevent future injuries. Physical therapy techniques offer several pain management techniques for pain after rotator cuff surgery. Some of these include:

Exercise Therapy

Your physical therapist may recommend a series of activities and movements that can help to relieve pain and restore function in the shoulder. Types of therapeutic exercises for pain after rotator cuff surgery include:

• Active Range of Motion (AROM) Exercises: AROM exercises aim to restore the shoulder’s active movement. Examples include wall slides, wand exercises, and shoulder rolls.

• Passive Range of Motion (PROM) Exercises: PROM exercises aim to restore and maintain shoulder flexibility to prevent future injuries. Examples include assisted shoulder flexion and pendulum exercises. 

• Strengthening Exercises: These exercises are essential to build strength around the shoulder muscles. Examples include dumbbells, resistance bands, and isometric exercises. 

• Stretching Exercises: These exercises improve and maintain the flexibility of the shoulder muscles. Examples include towel stretching, cross-body stretching, and sleeper stretching. 

Manual Therapy

This involves hands-on techniques that relieve pain, improve shoulder joint mobility, and ease muscle tension. Manual therapy techniques include:

• Massage therapy
• Joint mobilization
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Myofascial release, etc.

Other modalities that can relieve pain after rotator cuff surgery include ice and heat therapy, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound therapy. 

Conclusion

While pain after rotator cuff surgery is normal, you should be worried if your pain levels are still high several months after the surgical procedure. Pain levels after chronic surgery may surge for several reasons. Chronic pain after the rotator cuff surgery can restrict movement and limit physical function, reducing overall quality of life. Regardless of the cause of high pain levels after rotator cuff surgery, physical therapy offers an effective treatment option. Therefore, if you are suffering from pain after rotator cuff surgery, you should consider undergoing physical therapy at FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers - Hickory Flat.