Hard to believe, but I can’t remember how long the right shoulder’s tear took to heal. It was back in April 2000. I kept using it after the first several days to a week–at the very beginning, I couldn’t even drive because I drive a stick shift, but I kept working and got back into doing things pretty fast in spite of pain. I sold the horse that I flew off (I was way overhorsed), but resumed biking fairly soon after the crash (maybe a week?). Seems to me I still had my road bike then, so I would have been riding a bike with drop handlebars. I remember that hurting a lot.
As for the left one, it never really healed (I’m talking about years) until I made that weird move and something slipped back in place. I slept on my back for many years because of that shoulder, and now I can finally sleep on either side again. It was late last year that it finally became useable. I did the first injury at least ten years ago. My rheumatologist at the time told me he was pretty sure that rotator cuff was torn as well, but I didn’t bother getting an MRI or seeing an orthopedist since I knew I wouldn’t have the surgery. Any surgery really messes with my rheumatoid arthritis, and usually will cause more problems than it solves.
Rebecca
