Rotator Cuff Tear - Now What ?!

[steamgoat]

I had surgery on mine on Sept 1, four days after Irene swept through, had to walk through the woods in the dark to get to my surgery appointment, and walk home later that day [but I dont remember that bit !!] The main road was not passable for many days. Recovery is going good,doing weights now, my therapist said get it done ASAP as the muscles just deteriorate with lack of use and then rehab takes longer,luckily we have a very good sports surgery doc at the local hospital. It sure wasn't a fun procedure, but I should be able to grind a winch come spring ! I can work carefully on the boat, got all my thru-hulls out by myself last week !! Bruce.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

The assembly consists of what?--5 muscles IIRC. Depends on were the damage is. I guess. And of course, the surgeon's ability.

Bingo!

Shoulders are really hard to fix and outcomes are variable. If they don't do LOTS then find someone who does.

My wife was told she needed rotator cuff repair. Second opinion was bursitis. Therapy with the colored "rubber bands" and all is good.

I worked with a well known shoulder and elbow surgeon for years.

Make sure you research your doctor as well as you did your boat.

[Jaspell]

I have a completely torn supraspinatus. I basically work on range of motion and do core work along with light weights to keep the shoulder going. My feeling is if I can crank a winch I would rather avoid the knife. I am a worker's comp lawyer and too many of my clients have gone in for simple cuff repairs and end up with permanent nerve damage. Far worse off than before the surgery. Just my 2 cents.

[Dulcesuenos]

You can find an elec start yamaha, or johnson evinride 9.9 to 15 hp, they are great engines!
On another note I had shoulder surgery on my left side 5 years ago it was open and arthroscopic it was painful as hell and pt was begun 3 days after and has been doing great. I want the other side done now. Wife had hers done w good results too.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[capn_billl]

Surgery is never fun. what they don't mention up front is the weeks, or months of (painful) physical therapy afterwards to get things back to normal.

I just went through knee surgery 2 years ago, and it just now is back to where it was before I injured it.

BUT I put up with an obviously not going to heal by itself knee for months before going in.

A co worker had an injury similar to yours, and was able to make a full recovery.

We both went to the same joint surgeon in Houston.

There are good doctors out there.

My scar looks just like a poke with a pencil, and I can jog, and ski without pain.

Good luck, I hope you make a full recovery.

[macbeth]

Two Doctors told me I was too old to have my shoulder repaired. I was 71 at the time. Apparently, they can stick pins into the bone, but fixing the other end would be a problem. One Specialist said it would be like trying to anchor in soft mud ! I understood immediately ! They recommended, as I was not in pain with it, to just live with it. Which is what I've been doing. A PITA occasionally, but at least I'm still alive, which is more than I can say for three of my close high-school friends. Only two of us left !

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by macbeth

Two Doctors told me I was too old to have my shoulder repaired. I was 71 at the time. Apparently, they can stick pins into the bone, but fixing the other end would be a problem. One Specialist said it would be like trying to anchor in soft mud ! I understood immediately ! They recommended, as I was not in pain with it, to just live with it. Which is what I've been doing. A PITA occasionally, but at least I'm still alive, which is more than I can say for three of my close high-school friends. Only two of us left !

Great to see you back, macbeth!

So how did you solve the problem? learn to use the other arm? electric o/b?
or???????

FWIW, I also have bad shoulders, and am now using a Milwaukee right angle drill motor to drive the winches, much of the time.

Cheers,

Ann

[macbeth]

As long as anything is under my shoulder height, it's OK. Although even then I find stretching my hand forward is difficult, e.g. touching the gps on the the front dash of the car. Sometimes I can "walk" my arm forwards using my fingers, other times move my body forward, other times ask sometime to pass whatever to me, other times try to grab it with my lame left hand (another story !), other times give up and ask my wife, son, friend, etc to pass it to me, or do the job for me, e.g, changing a light bulb in the ceiling !

If it's over my shoulder, I lift up my right elbow with my left hand.

Given up using o/b motors. Now try to anchor closer and row the inflatable.

Carry a spare battery (instead of a pull-start generator) on long journeys in the car.

Use the Milwaukee drill, especially for hoisting the main. (But last season, I tore the main on the leach because a reefing line was jammed. Lesson, do it in bursts.)

re rowing the inflatable. Crappy oarlocks kept bending over and going horizontal. Cured this by putting a bungee cord around the oarlocks from side to side. Now work like a charm ! Necessity is the Mother of invention.

I guess you learn to make do, helps if you're an obstinate old b@gg@r like me !

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

FWIW, I also have bad shoulders, and am now using a Milwaukee right angle drill motor to drive the winches, much of the time.

Cheers,

Ann

Seem to me, after reading this thread, there is a great market out there for making devices for the injured/handicapped to sail.
Of course, maybe what we really need is a 50 foot yacht, with everything on it including lots of cams from every angle, and charge people to go on "virtual" voyages with us. Then just go out and find bad weather- and watch everyone pay for our experience.

[hpeer]

http://www.amazon.com/7-Minute-Rotat.../dp/0944831257

I had a bad rotator for many years. Got so I couldn't take my wallet out. Hell on a boat!

They recommended meds and surgery. I demurred, but found the above book. Worked a charm.

I've slacked off on the exercise for years and now I'm getting a bit of twinge again. Back to the exercises.

The exercises take a while to work, but for me they worked very well.

[s/v Beth]

thanks hpeer. I went on amazon and imediately got one. Even though I am a doc, I have two bad shoulders and have broken both scapula. Do not ask me how...

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

thanks hpeer. I went on amazon and imediately got one. Even though I am a doc, I have two bad shoulders and have broken both scapula. Do not ask me how...

Ah, newt, it's mean to dangle the bait.......

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by macbeth

I've completely torn my rotator cuff, so that even if I do get it fixed with surgery, I probably should never again pull a cord on an outboard motor.

I currently have an 8' inflatable with a 2 stroke 4HP OB which we use occasionally to mostly take the dog to shore. It's a beast to start, probably contributed to my shoulder problem.

The question is: Now what do we do in the future ?

Any suggestions would be appreciated before next summer. Thanks.

I had my right supraspinatus tendon re-attached. It takes a LONG time to recover. In the order of 18 months to get comfortable full range of movement, and even longer than that to get back full strength. But it can be done.

But first, I'd get a motor that isn't a beast to start, and I'd start it using my other arm. I can easily start our 18hp Tohatsu with either right or left hand.

[Roy Megargel]

I had the same problem. Surgery fixed the shoulder but recovery/therapy had me off the boat for the better part of a year. As for starting an outboard I read somewhere about doing so after shoulder surgery recovery by pulling the recoil cord by holding the arm in use close to the body and pulling with a body twist, not the arm. For me it works.


Sent from my iPad . ARTEMIS

[JPA Cate]

Hey, Roy,

Thanks for the tip.

Ann