Shoulder Surgery
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: Patdel
26-May-20
Has anyone here had a torn labrum repaired? Sounds like I'm also going to have my biceps tendon cut and reattached to a bone anchor of some kind. Bow arm. Not draw arm. Surgery June 8th. Will I be hunting in September/October? 48 years old.
Anyone with experience please chime in. Thanks!
From: Trophy8
26-May-20
Reality, probably not September...maybe Oct. Soft tissue takes 16 weeks to fully heal. Cutting the bicep tendon is standard procedure so don't sweat it. I had both shoulders operated on (rotator) ...rehab is the tough part, can be painfull at times but one has to stay with it and work hard through it. Best of luck! PS...glad I had mine done.
From: Guardian hunter
26-May-20
I had a torn bicep repaired. It was a painful recovery. Please take your time with healing. This is not something you want to do twice if you reinjure. Wish you well
From: PTArcher
26-May-20
Patdel, good luck on the upcoming surgery. There are a lot of factors that come into play regarding recovery time from a labral repair and tenodesis, including the magnitude of the repair, any additional muscle-tendon findings during surgery, and how your body reacts to the "trauma" of surgery. The most important factor in your recovery time is your ability to recover full shoulder motion. This is also the one thing you can have most control over. Work diligently with your PT and be patient. Your recovery will likely be in the 4-6 month range assuming everything goes as planned.
From: BIGERN
26-May-20
Sounds almost exactly as my bow arm diagnosis. I have put off surgery till October.my bow is dialed down to 40 some lbs and I'm hoping to be able to use it just once in September. I'll be pulling for you!
From: Silver
26-May-20
I had Labral repair surgery in late March 2017 (29 years old at the time) to repair a tear/delamination of the labrum from the bone. I was limited to a sling for about 5 weeks, then roughly 10 weeks physio. By early July I was able to go on easy mountaineering trips (carrying 25-30#, self-arrest, light climbing), and if I recall correctly I was able to shoot my bow around late July.
As PT says, the physio is the key - I found it demoralizing and tedious but in hindsight that was the biggest reason for success. Good luck and don’t rush things.
Ag
From: LKH
26-May-20
Had done 2011. Easy recovery. Called a bicep tedonisis. It was done after the labrum repair failed. They cut about 3", pry the cut open, drive a pin in to hold the tendon in place on top the humerus, do some measuring, cut the tendon loose, drill a hole in the top of the humerus, take a special allen screw with three prongs and screw the tendon into the hole. They the shave off the excess tendon and sew you back up.
Therapy went well and the arm was virtually as strong as before within a year.
5 months later I killed a big elk and mule deer with a 63# longbow. I was 64.
From: x-man
26-May-20
I had that done along with a torn RC and some reconstruction of the "ball-socket" joint.
The biceps tendon was the worst tear and took the longest to heal for me. My surgery was Nov 2018 and I didn't draw a bow(25#) until April 2019. But... mine was my draw arm.
Each person is going to heal at a slightly different rate. There's no way to know now, when you'll be ready.
From: 12yards
26-May-20
My son had labrum repair one year ago. He's pretty much back to normal now, but the lesson is to follow the PT to the tee. Don't risk anything. Better to let it heal correctly than to rush it to do a hunt.
From: Chief 419
26-May-20
Agree with the recommendation to follow through on PT and do as instructed. I had shoulder surgery on my bow arm. 6 weeks after surgery, I was in constant pain and was thinking the surgery was a bust. Once I started PT, the pain in my shoulder started to go away. Follow through with the home PT exercises as instructed. Best of luck on your surgery & recovery.
From: Patdel
26-May-20
Thanks guys.
From: Burly
26-May-20
Had my bow arm shoulder repaired in April of 2012 . Torn labrium,RC and torn biceps tendon. Didn't shoot any of my bows until following spring. The hardest part was recovery. I could only sleep in a recliner, which after awhile sucked. Still am weak in that arm.
From: maxracx
27-May-20
Patdel, I had the exact same thing done to my left shoulder April 10th 2019, I was elk hunting in Wyoming first week in Sept. I also had my right should done in Oct 2019. The key is to do everything your Physical Therapist tells you and don't push it. My right shoulder has not progressed like the left because I had to quit PT at the end of the year due to insurance. I can draw my bow but i still have some pain. I am totally pain free on the left shoulder. PT and massage therapy was the ticket for me. Also having an elk tag in my pocket was motivating. Good luck with your recovery.
From: ESP
27-May-20
I’ve had it done on both shoulders. I was pulling light weight in 3 moths. Last year my shoulder was operated on April 5th. And killed a bull elk in September. Pulling 63 lbs. to get full strength on both shoulders took over a year.