It seems that there is little information out there about recovery time to get back to riding after a shoulder injury and surgery. Has anyone out there been through this and have any words of wisdom? TIA!
I’m sorry you have to go through this, shoulder injuries are not fun. I messed up my rotator cuff over a year ago. I did not have surgery. After my fall I couldn’t even move my arm for several days. I got back to riding about a week after wards. I had to get off using a mounting block for about six months. Hopping off my horse jarred my shoulder horribly so it just made sense to use the mounting block until it stopped hurting every time I dismounted. I’ve just recently noticed that my shoulder seems to be almost at 100%. It took a long time to heal and I had to be very careful not to jar it or strain it during this process. Good luck!
There are so many different surgeries and shoulders are so complicated. My hubby goes in for surgery on Thursday, three different repairs, and expects to be off for six months 
Others may be much sooner.
Search under rotator cuff ~ many of us out there ~
If it is anything like rotator cuff repair ~ search the topic ~ many of us out here ~ :yes:
I am four months post surgery ~
I have ridden through the woods
YA HOO ~ :D:cool:
I still am unable :no: to ride my unicycle due to lack of arm strength in the “involved” arm but will be riding it
sometimes this summer :yes:
.
Eight weeks was my “wait to ride” time but due to SNOW = I was on the ground for 110 days…:eek:
I’ve been on the slow road as surgery was mid December and rather complicated, so three months into recovery. Just trying to look ahead, without giving the surgeon a heart attack.
I am going tomorrow for cardiac clearance tests and after that rotary cuff surgery.
The way the surgeon explained it, no one can tell until they are in there, the shoulder is very complicated and no two presentations are alike.
He can’t even tell me if I can go home in a day or several after surgery, because he doesn’t know what all he will have to or can do once in there.
Then, the same applies to recovery, each shoulder will heal as it well pleases, you just have to keep working at what they tell you to do.
He said I may be riding in a few weeks, or not for half a year.
A horse trainer I know, that had another surgeon than I have, had his repaired and during therapy he overdid it and tore it loose, they had to go back in there a second time to repair it again.:eek:
He is much more careful this time around.:yes:
Not trying to second guess the surgeon, or dash wildly into risk behavior. The small improvements are happening pretty fast now, and the PT folks are adding weights and rubber band exercises to the program.
Three more months is doable.
I know someone who has had five surgeries on the same shoulder, including two cadaver replacements, ending up with a useless arm and no collarbone left. No interest in rushing things if that is the road it leads to…
You guys are SCARING me!! I’m not sure what I have wrong, but it’s not rotator cuff or SLAP injury. I see the specialist on Friday, and have been told it may be similar to a carpal tunnel injury, but it’s my muscle being impinged under my collarbone, not a nerve. My PT made it sound like surgery’s likely :0 with no indication of healing time.
OP hope it’s feeling much better very soon!
I am the “what you don’t want to have happen” poster child. I had a 4-part humeral fracture, broken scapula and ribs from landing on a ground line after a stop.
I am one year post injury (3 surgeries, MONTHS of PT, one joint injection). I still hurt. I have nearly full range of motion, but it hurts. I started riding again at month 8, very lightly. I bought a protective vest and wear it every ride. I am now jumping a bit and my fitness is very good. But… I live in fear of another fall, because it still hurts so damn bad, I can’t imagine what it would feel like to land on it!! I know it is unlikely that I’ll hit it that way again, but…
I don’t know what surgery you had, but every shoulder is different and recovery is so variable. The surgeon and PT’s can’t figure out why it still hurts. I think it’s because there’s still a screw in there. And there’s more damage that they didn’t catch during my last surgery (capsular release, screw removal). UGH.
Good luck. You’ll be back on soon, if you are at month 3–probably by month 6. Use a mounting block to get on and off, if it is your left arm especially. I rode one handed for a while, as it hurt too much to use both the whole ride (10 minutes to start). Build up slowly. Let your body tell you how much is good.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and of caution. I must say that there is enough pain to remind me to go slow. And it is amazing how much strength just disappeared while recuperating! At least I am no longer having to sleep sitting up in a chair to get any sleep at all. It is all about the little steps forward!
GOOD TO READ YOU ARE GETTING SLEEP ` VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOVERY
GLAD YOU ARE GETTING SLEEP VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR RECOVERY ~
JINGLE FOR YOUR PROGRESS TO CONTINUE ~
Thank you for the insightful comments. Sleep is still problematic as it is hard to spend all night on my back. Rolling on to the good shoulder makes the bad one complain and rolling on the the bad one is still out of the question.
But on an upbeat note, I have put halters on and off of several horses and can pass out hay !!! There is some tact and diplomacy on the halter/leading game, and hay involves small units and some soccer skills, but it is great to do something!
just another vote for taking it easy here!
I had a labral tear and a subscap tendon repaired 24 days before my wedding… I was lucky to have a fantastic surgeon who was very understanding (and a fancy beaded “wedding sling”) , but I was not a very good patient.
It’s not the first couple weeks when it hurts that it’s hard to be a good patient… it’s as the pain starts to go away… Stick to the plan and follow your PT’s advice thoroughly. My pt was an eventer and very understanding of my desires to get back in the saddle, which helped.
I’m two years out and afraid to know what it looks like in there after a recent partial dislocation… If I had been a better patient, it’d be stronger and more reliable which is important long term. (isn’t hindsight wonderful?!)
Good luck!! Stay the course and get a good PT.
can i join?
I’m sitting here in bed propped up with pillows and a bag of ice on my right shoulder, 2 days post surgery. Had dealt with pain/burning in my shoulders for years, and finally had enough when it hurt to do normal stuff like cooking. MRI was slightly unclear as to what all was going on, no obvious rotator cuff tear, but definite impingement syndrome. Went into surgery prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. No repairs were needed, just the impingement taken care of.
So far its not as bad as I was expecting pain wise. The nerveblock wearing off was the most uncomfortable and disconcerting part, and as a previous poster mentioned sleeping is very uncomfortable. I will definitely be doing the other shoulder though as soon as I can… can’t wait to be painfree and riding again.
Thanks so much for all of the words of caution and encouragement. Good news is I have ridden every other day for 10 days = five heavenly rides. Tacking up is a bit problematic, but doable with help. Got a new helmet to celebrate too!
Congratulations ``` sounds GREAT ~~
Congratulations ``` sounds GREAT ~~~
Today was a milestone! It has been five months since my injury. Tacked up by myself (took the 17 hand fellow to the mounting block for bridling) and did a fair amount of canter and lots of transitions, untacked and brushed (using both hands=therapy, right?). And, had enough energy to groom, put on tack, lunge and ride a second (15.2 though), albeit at the walk, but lots of kicking and steering. The rest of the day may go downhill, but I am too happy to notice now!
My last visit with the surgeon was very positive, but she did caution me that it will take at least a year to get all of my strength back. It is a long road!
[QUOTE=not again;5608794]
My last visit with the surgeon was very positive, but she did caution me that it will take at least a year to get all of my strength back. It is a long road![/QUOTE]
Good for you!
I too was told six months to a year, before all may be well.
Just into four weeks now, starting strenght exercises, still under restrictions, just bidding my time.
Receiving cattle today and it is hard to remember not to just climb over fences to get from here to there, have to go find a gate to get around.:lol:
Climbing over fence would definitely be a “maybe later” exercise. But cleaning bridles on the tack hook is definitely better than the pulleys at PT!. Worst chore for those of us allergic to house work: finding a pot lid in the back of the cupboard.:lol:
