You may use your wrist, hand, and elbow for daily activities. This includes eating, shaving, dressing, as long as you do not move your operated arm away from your body and it does not increase your pain. Do not use your arm to push up/off the bed or chair for six weeks after your surgery.
Light housework may resume after 6 weeks. More strenuous housework should be avoided until 3 months after your operation. After approximately six weeks you will be given permission to resume light activities of daily living. Always maintain a good posture and avoid hunched or drooped shoulders.
Complications in the fingers and hand after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) have been reported to include carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), flexor tenosynovitis (TS), and complex regional pain syndrome.
Wearing Your Sling
Slings relieve tension and elevate your arm to the optimal healing position. Many patients wonder if they can take their sling off to sleep. Nearly every doctor will tell you this is not advisable. Wearing a sling is what keeps you from overworking your shoulder or moving it too much while it heals.
Patients who are recovering from rotator cuff surgery know all too well that surgery on the shoulder is often painful. Some patients have very little pain after shoulder surgery, but most have significant pain for a few days to a few weeks.
Most patients, who have undergone rotator cuff surgery, can return to car driving within two weeks of surgery. Before you plan to drive after the rotator cuff surgery, first, you need to consult your doctor to make sure that your recovery is going on according to the plan.
If you had arthroscopic surgery, you can take a shower 48 to 72 hours after surgery. Remove the sling, and leave your arm by your side. To wash under your armpit, lean over and let the arm fall away from your body. Do not raise your arm.
No motion such as that required to wash your hair, do laundry, wash dishes, or clean windows with the arm is allowed in the first 6 weeks.
The best position to sleep in is the one that doesn't put pressure on your affected arm, which means sleeping either on your back or on the unaffected side.
A loose fitting sleeveless undershirt followed by a loose button down shirt. Please do not wear a traditional bra for two weeks, but one with a T-back or racer back straps are okay.
Here are some tips for sleeping after shoulder surgery. Sleep on an Incline. Do not sleep flat on your back. Sleeping on an incline for 4-6 weeks after surgery is best.
In general patients are able to perform gentle 'hand to mouth' activities using the operated arm from two to six weeks after a rotator cuff repair. The rate of progression from that point is determined by the surgeon in light of the quality of tissue found at the time of surgery.
For the first week after surgery, you'll be asked to stay home and rest as much as possible. Your arm will be in a sling to help protect you from accidentally injuring yourself or straining the muscles. You'll be able to use your elbow, wrist, and hand- but need to rest your shoulder.
For the first week, the patient should not have more than a coffee cup weight in the hand. If this goes well, then the patient can increase functional activities as tolerated. Physical therapy exercises increase by adding active range of motion and strengthening as tolerated.
First and foremost, it's important to rest after surgery. You should avoid any lifting or strenuous activities, as these can place too much strain on your shoulder and slow the healing process. Get plenty of sleep to help your body heal and allow yourself time to relax. Managing pain after surgery is also important.
You may use your arm for activities such as writing, eating, keyboarding, brushing your teeth, shaving, and applying make-up. Make sure your elbow is in at your side while doing these activities.
In terms of the period, you will most likely need to sleep in a semi-lying position for six weeks or more, depending on the type of surgery you underwent.