Rotator Cuff Surgery Rehabilitation

Rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation takes a certain amount of time, dedication and commitment to the rehabilitation procedures. After the surgery is completed, you will be kept in the hospital on pain medication for a few days until the pain is stabilized.

Once you are discharged from the hospital, you will be asked to keep your shoulder strictly bandaged and on a sling at all times. This rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation period can last for anywhere between 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury.

You’ll have to rest the shoulder for the first two weeks to ensure proper healing. After this period of rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation, in order not to allow the shoulder to stiffen, a physical therapist will be assigned to move your shoulder for you. This is an important part of rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation.

After 6 weeks have passed and you’re ready to move on to active motion exercises, the sling will be removed and you’ll be allowed to move your arm. At this stage, you will have to delicately manage your shoulder so as not to cause further friction or injury. You will be prescribed basic arm movements but you cannot lift weights or use resistance exercises at this stage. It will take close to 12 weeks from the date of surgery to reach this stage in the rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation.

Once your arm and shoulder are rehabilitated to the extent that you can start physical therapy, your therapist will recommend strengthening exercises for you. These exercises include lifting small weights and performing 20 repetitions of each exercise pattern. Several arm and shoulder exercises will be prescribed depending on your injury.
Complete rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation will take anywhere from 6 months to one year in cases of severe tendon injury.