Cycling after surgery

[SPRHK]

I have a question for you and not sure if anyone has been through this. Yesterday I had surgery on my right shoulder for a pretty torn up rotator cuff. Without getting into details about surgery, it is a VERY PAINFULL ordeal. I purposely postponed the surgery till January so that I could finish the riding/trackday/hunting seasons and get past the holidays. If any of you, or possibly someone you know that rides has had this done, how long till you- they got back into the saddle? I know all people react and heal differently.I am just trying to get an idea at what I should expect. Also, did you/ they have micro surgery or regular. Thanks for any info you can pass on, especially being it took me a 1/2 to type this post lefty.
Chris

[High_Revs_17]

Did they scope you or open you up? How many times per week have you been assigned to PT? All these are major factors in deciding if/when you can get back in the saddle.

You did pick the right time of year to have the procedure done regarding the layover time but don't rush it, your recovery time could take several months...that's just the way this deal works. I am going thru the same if not worse pain and PT for my knee from a nasty wreck I had in May so I know what that pain is all about. Generally the younger you are, the least minimal damage, and the smallest amount of surgery done, equals a quicker recovery time.

After a few weeks of PT talk to your Dr. and Physical Therapist about when would be a good time for you to get back in the saddle regarding post time. They may be a bit biased towards bikes so if that's the case just be sure to tell them that you're looking for a medical opinion, not a personal one.

Overall just be sure to push yourself in PT either on your own and at the office. Scar tissue is your enemy so the more movement you get in your joint right after sugery the less pain you'll have down the road with recovery.

[wcrbikemike]

I had my right shoulder scoped about 7 years ago. The recovery took longer than I would have liked to recover 100% and I was going to PT three times per week plus doing some at home per the trainer. I would say that after about 6 months I was 100%. My surgery consisted of rotator cuff and bone spurs.

[SPRHK]

They opened me up. I have a 4 inch incision with about 8-9 staples. The rotator cuff was a little worse than the doc thought and they also shaved off the end of my collarbone(clavicle) to remove arthritis. I guess what i'm really wondering is, is there saddletime before getting to the 100% mark. Before the surgery, there were things I couldn't do due to it, but I could still ride the bike, draw back my bow, ect. I get all kinds of different responses as for how long it will take to heal up and get back to 100%. I've heard from 4 mo. to 8 1/2 mo. and I don't like the idea of not getting on the road/track for that period of time.I start pt next week 3x aweek for however long they deem fit.

[njf4i]

Well i don't have any personal experience with shoulder surgery. But i have had my collar bone snapped pretty good. It took me roughly around 6 months before i was 100%. Well thats also because i didn't follow all of the doctors orders. :)

But good luck with the recovery. Hopefully you'll be back in the saddle in no time. Also from a fellow bow hunter to another, i would have put off the surgery to get bow season in. :evil2:

[Roberts]

it's what you can tolerate in my opinion. I broke my humorous, they cut a good size hole in my rotator cuff and drilled a hole to install a rod. I was tooling around on the bike in four weeks (mind you, i did have to tolerate a good amount of pain, i just took it easy) I think it was four months until i could feel safe enough to take it to the track (at a moderet pace, just messing around with friends) but it became unbearable by the end of the day. Although, it was a combination of the rotator, bicep & triceps. My arm didn't heal well, the bone wouldn't regrow so even though i ride on the track it's far from my best pace.

I bet once you regain full mobility of your shoulder you'll be riding not long after. The longer the arm is immobile the longer it takes to regain mobility. If you do all the exercises they tell you to do and don't over exert it you should make the beginning of the season of track days at a high percentage of healing and strength... but i'm no doctor. hope it helps.