OUCH! YOU’RE HAVING ROTATOR CUFF SURGERY - BLOG #14

Week Nine! Only a day away from ending my ninth week, and I’m reminded of the saying from Joyce Meyer that “Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.”

This reminder about the importance of having a positive attitude and focusing on constructive behavior during this phase of recovery is helpful. During my home PT, I’ve discovered my body trying to teach my brain about this type of patience. My constructive behavior is forcing my brain to guide my exercises through slow and measured movements, and not my desire to complete things fast. Focus, mixed with move and hold action, is paying off with improvements in my range of motion. I’ll admit that reaching across my back is the action causing the most frustration, but I understand it is a normal challenge. Spending about 15 minutes three times a day doing the exercises for the week, along with some from earlier weeks, is paying off. And just like the earlier weeks, ice is still needed after each session.

     By now, sleeping should be getting easier and less restrictive. You can eat with both hands and even cut your own steak. Putting on makeup or earrings, or reaching for a drinking glass from the cabinet, should be back in your life. If you are still having problems with those activities, take a look at how much effort you are putting into your therapy. Have very honest discussions with your Physical Therapist about your progress. Not everyone moves through the process at the same pace, but improvements do not come without effort.

Remember, you took the surgery path to make the pain leave and to get your movement back. If you spent money on surgery, spend time on the exercises, and get the most out of your expenditure.