Shoulder surgery question

[7sdad]

#1 = 6 months
#2 = 3 months
#3 = 2 months
#4 = 3 months
#5 = in the near future.

[76aggie]

Hornchaser, I'm sure you have an excellent doctor but I strongly suggest you get a 2nd opinion if surgery is recommended. A few years ago, I could not pull any bow back and my doctor did an MRI which demonstrated a tear in the rotator cuff. He recommended surgery. I did not want it because I had heard the horror stories about recovering from the procedure from many people. However, I psyched myself up for the surgery and just before the surgery, my insurance company said they would not pay for the surgery until after I went through physical therapy. This really pi$$ed me off big time but being the good soldier I am, agreed to go through the physical therapy. By golly, it worked!

Remember, surgeons make their money doing surgery. That is what they do. Surgeries= big houses and big cars and big money. My point is that surgery is not always the answer. I had to drop to a 40lb bow that year but was able to hunt. My shoulder has never felt better.

[cbd10pt]

He's right about the surgeon.
They will jump right on it.
My insurance company paid $67,000 for mine

[DRT]

He's right about the surgeon.

They will jump right on it.

My insurance company paid $67,000 for mine

Someone got took. 2009 the left shoulder was just over 8K and in 2012 the the right was about 11K. Both were extensive repairs.

Gary

[Horn chaser]

Hornchaser, I'm sure you have an excellent doctor but I strongly suggest you get a 2nd opinion if surgery is recommended. A few years ago, I could not pull any bow back and my doctor did an MRI which demonstrated a tear in the rotator cuff. He recommended surgery. I did not want it because I had heard the horror stories about recovering from the procedure from many people. However, I psyched myself up for the surgery and just before the surgery, my insurance company said they would not pay for the surgery until after I went through physical therapy. This really pi$$ed me off big time but being the good soldier I am, agreed to go through the physical therapy. By golly, it worked!

Remember, surgeons make their money doing surgery. That is what they do. Surgeries= big houses and big cars and big money. My point is that surgery is not always the answer. I had to drop to a 40lb bow that year but was able to hunt. My shoulder has never felt better.

Very true. I won't have any clue till next Monday what my situation will be anyways. I am just preparing for worst case scenario and hoping for the best case which would be just the physical therapy. I haven't had a surgery in 30 years and would prefer not to go under a knife if I don't have too. Good thing for me is if I need to drop weight in a bow I have an excuse to build me a new one not that I need an excuse anyways.

[Horn chaser]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate the info and advice.

[shortstroke 91]

My $.02
I am personally just 4 months out of a pretty extensive rotator/spur/labrum surgery.
I'd suggest talking to a PT either way ASAP. Start doing the rehab exercises before the surgery as soon as possible, this will build up any support muscles and shave lots of time off your recovery. I started about 3 months before surgery every day with light band work and my PT says it put me several months ahead of the curve for recovery.
One of the best things for me was overhand and underhand band pull aparts, band lateral raises and GOOGLE "crossover symmetry".
Good Luck and if you can make it past the first 2 weeks you'll have it whooped...

[coker737]

Both Rotator Cuffs replacements.....Excalibur Crossbow.

[cva34]

My bud had that done he got what looked like a Igloo cooler with pump that pumped cold water through Shoulder pac...(instead of Ice pac)...He said it was his best friend......
watching him for months ...I would think Xbow is great option for Most....One with a Crank Cocker that would be user friendly to you...Best of Luck

[DRT]

My bud had that done he got what looked like a Igloo cooler with pump that pumped cold water through Shoulder pac...(instead of Ice pac)...He said it was his best friend......
watching him for months ...I would think Xbow is great option for Most....One with a Crank Cocker that would be user friendly to you...Best of Luck

I doubt a crossbow would be something most traditional archers would be looking forward to get back to. Although I'd shoot my compound for a while like I have with a broken finger or last year when I had a partial rotator cuff tear I'd rather eat dirt than go to a crossbow.

Gary

[glpoe1]

I had my surgery in a February, started PT soon after and was able to start shooting light weight by the end of May. I was going to 3D shoots by the end of June with a lighter weight bow. Do your therapy +, you will not regret it.

[sir shovelhands]

Hornchaser, I'm sure you have an excellent doctor but I strongly suggest you get a 2nd opinion if surgery is recommended. A few years ago, I could not pull any bow back and my doctor did an MRI which demonstrated a tear in the rotator cuff. He recommended surgery. I did not want it because I had heard the horror stories about recovering from the procedure from many people. However, I psyched myself up for the surgery and just before the surgery, my insurance company said they would not pay for the surgery until after I went through physical therapy. This really pi$$ed me off big time but being the good soldier I am, agreed to go through the physical therapy. By golly, it worked!

Remember, surgeons make their money doing surgery. That is what they do. Surgeries= big houses and big cars and big money. My point is that surgery is not always the answer. I had to drop to a 40lb bow that year but was able to hunt. My shoulder has never felt better.

When I tore my labrum my surgeon prescribed 6 weeks of physical therapy and told me he'd do the surgery afterwards if I still wanted to. Never did get the surgery. It hurts occasionally when I work out or sleep on it, but mostly fine.

[Wampuscat]

Ask about a stem cell injection before surgery!

I had a torn rotator cuff that wasn’t too bad, just painful as Hades. My ortho told me I had 2 options: surgery or a stem cell injection.

Surgery was covered by my medical insurance, but required a long recovery and rehab. Would require extended time off fro work at reduced pay and no overtime.

The amniotic fluid stem cell (no cut up babies) injection requires no recovery and much shorter rehab. In fact my orthopedic surgeon wanted me to use my bow as part of rehab. I was scared to so I bought a crossbow for the season.

I went with the injection which cost about $1750 and wasn’t covered by medical insurance. I absolutely recommend this route. I was able to go to work the next day and pick up plenty of OT to pay for the injection.

My shoulder is great and haven’t had any issues at all in a few years.

[DRT]

I had a partial tear last year and PT helped me recover and heal. My surgeon didn't recommend surgery, although he's done several on me. He was my second opinion on a collapsed disc and didn't recommend surgery on that as well. Although the first ortho I saw for it did. He is an advocate of stem cell and chiropractic treatments as well as other non cutting remedies. However each injury needs to be evaluated separately. That's why we need let our doctors and other related professionals to help guide us to the right treatment process.
I doubt most of us responding would wish injury or surgery on anyone.

Gary

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

My wife's recovery was over a year. Come to find out after a year of rehab and continuing pain, the doctor only repaired one of her 2 tears. Did not know about the 2nd tear. ***