Vaccine injected into arm with rotator cuff tear - any issues?

Posted by amywood20 @amywood20, Mar 15, 2021

Hello! I am scheduled to receive COVID injection #1 on Thursday. I have a full thickness tear in my right shoulder (it needs surgery) and some impingement and small tears in the left shoulder. With the vaccine intramuscular into the deltoid, I wonder if there are any concerns with this when there is a tear in the rotator cuff. Has anyone happened to come across any research on this (may not be any)? Trying to figure out which arm to have injected. I am trying to hold off on the right shoulder surgery due to my husband starting a new job and not being able to be home with me. I'm able to deal with the discomfort for now. Would hate for the injection to cause even more of an issue with the tear (i.e. make it worse). Both shoulder are messed up so I'm trying to figure out which to have injected. Thanks!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 16, 2021

Hmmm...that's an interesting question and I'm sure you are correct that there wasn't any research into that specific issue with the Covid vaccine. That said, the best way to avoid any shoulder issues with a vaccine is to make sure it is properly injected into the deltoid, well away from the shoulder capsule.
Since your rotator cuff issues are already diagnosed, your safest course of action would be to consult the doc regarding the injection site. My daughter (an RN & Covid nurse) says Covid vaccine can also be injected into the thigh muscle, but the vaccine site needs to know in advance of your requirement.
Sue