Torn Rotator cuff & arthritis

Good work on the PT and other exercises to strengthen your shoulder and avoid surgery. I'm bone-on-bone in my left shoulder and cortisone helps sometimes, sometimes not. I am in the gym everyday and work with a trainer who knows how I can still do exercises for my arms without aggravating the shoulder.

It's not always painful, usually when I'm doing an unusual or rarely used motion, as you note. I can feel the bones slide against each other once in a while, but rarely with pain.

As long as I can lift my arm straight up over my head, I'll postpone surgery. I've had both knees replaced with great success.

All the best to you Meri!

Bone in bone is not helpful.
Sorry to hear.
You take care too Joe .

i disagree with your belief to first do everything to avoid surgery. That is what i did and it resulted in a much worse injury that a top conplex shoulder surgeon in NY at HSS was the only surgeon i saw who felt he had the expertise to suceed. There were complications and it took years to heal. My surgeon told me the idea to try everything else first including lots of physical therapy contributed to the complexity of my surgery and my long complicated recovery

Obviously your situation was more serious. I had a slight tendon tear in my shoulder. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.

I tore my rotator cuff to the point I could not lift a dinner plate out of the dishwasher. Went to Dr and immediately wanted to do surgery. Talked to a good friend who specialized in shoulder surgery and said it is one of the most painful surgeries to recover from and you have to go to physical therapy afterward and continue till the therapists say you're done. He told me try physical therapy first before the surgery. I did that. We started very slow movements went twice a week and then had exercises to do at home. I was very diligent it took a year but now I have full range of motion and no pain. You have to be determined no shortcuts. In addition my Dr friend said change your diet to include a lot of anti inflammatory foods. I did that too. I'm sure Mayo can help direct you to these type of foods. It has been 4 years now no pain. I still do the exercises in my weekly workouts. I'm 67.

I went for the steroid shot in the shoulder. It has given me much relief AND (hopefully not temporary) I'm slowly getting use of my arm back. It's a nerve issue and maybe it just needs more time to come back? I am 6 weeks post op from cervical fusion. Anyone else experienced this?

Wow. I’ve never heard of something like this. Interesting…keep posting updates if you go through with it.

Anyone experience the horn blower affect after a RSA surgery?

Interesting. No reverse shoulder implant? Not an option?

@meri8181
I am interested from posters on what the signs are for rotator problems.

I had COVID, then sinus infection, then bronchitis and had to stop my daily water aerobics for over 2 months. When I came back I think I over did it and did not take it easy and did something to my right shoulder. I get pain when I lift it in certain directions from inside the joint.

I I lift something straight up with arm extended and or straight back it hurts. Is this what others have felt? I have an upcoming appt. at Mayo to see what is going on. I think it is arthritis as am having some issues in middle back as well.

As I was told many decades ago by a father-in-law "Getting old sucks." Boy was he right!