Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire shoulder surgery recovery time

Having shoulder surgery the 6th of June. Rotator cuff , labrum and scraped for Calcium splatter, some dead cartilage also. How long before you could shoot again? Just bought myself a new Beretta 695 20 gauge for birds and won't have time to shoot it before surgery. Thanks guys.

Can't advise on the LOT to recover, as my surgery was different & for a different pathology. I assume it will be your shooting shoulder and dominant hand? You will be surpised how limiting it is to try and dress and feed yourself & drive with one hand. Pull over shirts and slip on shoes are highly recommended. Whatever you do, listen to the PT and attend every appointment if you want to regain full ROM. It was painful but worth it! Best wishes for a full recovery.

Seems to me that I was laid up for 6 weeks after each of my rotator cuff surgeries. Then started PT. Talk to your Dr. about what you want to do. He will be concerned about you damaging his handiwork and needing to redo it. I second the statement above about listening to the PT and doing what they tell you!

Dale

Each person is different and each time is too, plus age adds into it. My first time at 52 was for bad rotator cuff totally detached (screwed it back in to attach it) was a breeze !!! 6 weeks after surgery I was released and shooting my Rem 1187 12 gauge slug gun on the shoulder. My shoulder felt totally normal. No big deal. My second time on the same shoulder was quite similar to yours but maybe a bit more extreme. I was 60 then and my shoulder was a mess. I was released after 3 months but really felt stiff and not natural until 2 months later. But today at 66 I don't even feel it as being done and shoot my magnums off it often. Go to your Physical Torturous as prescribed. They know best and will get you on the best path to recovery.

6 months, a year is more realistic.

Not to mention hygiene - my doc informed me that he wouldn't fix both my shoulders at once - because "She don't love you enough to wipe your ass for you" !
"The Warden" wholeheartedly agreed "The day he goes into Depends - he goes in a home" !

I was back to work in 4 weeks after my torn Labrum was repaired and my bersa scraped

At 71, I had a total shoulder replacement on my right (shooting) shoulder on April 26, and have the same concerns. At 2 weeks I could drive for short trips, and at 5 weeks the pain is manageable with minimum need for medication (a couple of pills a day). PT has not been excruciating and I am happy with my ROM so far. Of course I am worried about whether my new titanium and plastic parts will hold up to shotgun shooting and the repetitive motion of using my Dillon XL650 progressive press. I suspect I will be able to get back on the zero turn lawn mower by the end of July, and hope I can shoot a .223 by the end of the summer. The 12 gauge and the Dillon may have to wait until next year, and I will never shoot a shell longer than 2-3/4" again, just to be safe.

Good luck with your surgery and recovery.

Most people I know that had that kind of surgery were firemen so the rehab was to get them back to arduous type fitness. They were typically out of work for 6-9 months.

9 months and an estimated (wrong) 95% recovery from my rotator cuff surgery, I took a ramp job with Alaska Airlines, handling about (on average) 30,000 lbs of luggage a day. Every shift was somewhat painful for the first year. Over-the counter drugs was my friend! And occaisionally prescription muscle relaxants. I had a stash, from a ditch cave in a few years before.... I have a good doctor, who trusts me...

No problem after that first year, but maybe contributory because by then I had enough senority that I didn't have to handle ALL the luggage from every flight...

Maybe not the best job decision for someone then in their 60's, but by damn, I was real close to 100% after that first year as a ramper!

At 65, 4 years later, I got an indoor food-service job with the local school.. with time off!!! Slop don't weigh much... I could now sling it good!

I don't know anymore, but I think I was back shooting at about 4 months... but I don't shoot much anyway. A couple rounds for sight in check , then go kill something....! I'm not a lead-down-the-barrel guy....

Absolutely do the professional rehab! And follow the instructions! If it isn't very painful, it isn't being done right!

This...

Don't push it, or you'll lose a lot of the use of the shoulder permanently. Do ALL the therapy and continue it for several years. I know this first hand...err arm...uhhh shoulders.

Had rotator cuff surgery one day, started PT the next. I was not a good patient, as I was looking forward for the time off from work, so I could get in some hunting and some work around the farm. Did some dumb things.....like hooking the bush hog up by myself, after the hitch pin had come out in the field.....beating a bearing off of the axle of a disc.....working on my deer stand. I was off from work about 3 months.

As far as shooting goes, I was shooting a 243 off the same shoulder I had surgery on, about 4 weeks later. No problems with that. Have been told that I might have a slight tear in the cuff on the other shoulder, but at my age, almost 69, I do not plan on having another operation unless it is a worst case scenario. My biggest problem was not the pain, as I didn't take but a few pain pills afterwards, but trying to sleep in that dang sling. I finally ended up taking the sling off at night, and using a pillow to hold the arm up. Like I said, I was not a good patient.

I was back to work in 2 weeks with both shoulders after surgery. The second one was a bicep tendonesis the doctor called it. Make sure you do the physical therapy as directed. I still have issues two years after my second surgery. The first one is fine, just painful scars. My second surgery, the doctor said to rub my scars after the stitches were out to avoid scar tissue setting up. The first surgery, I was told not to touch them, and they hurt at times.

The barber in town was laid up for 6 months for his shoulder work..

I had complete reverse shoulder replacement in Dec 2017.Although not a simple rotatator cuff repair, 1 year is what it took to feel some what comfortable .I tried dove hunting last September and could only do 5 shots with a 20 gauge semi.Did go ML elk hunting though and the rifle season elk. Killed a nice bull,solo hunt.Loading that sucker was a chore though. At 1 year, 5 months,I am still doing PT to keep it strong enough

My brother in law had a complete shoulder replacemm. It took him about a year, but he in really good shape, (wresting coach)

Had a SLAP repair, labrum, and tendonesis - basically cut the rest of my bicep off, then screwed it into the bone. 9 months of PT. I'm 13 months post-op and have about 2/3rds the strength in that arm than my "good" arm. I shoot skeet and trap. I get in 2 rounds before the pain affects my score. Kinda wish I had gone the less invasive route.

This is what he's called it. This also will be my third surgery on the shoulder. First was torn labrum and instead of repairing the doc trimmed it, Second surgery a bone spur was removed that was creating an impingement and he performed a Mumford procedure. In 2013 I ruptured my long bicep and tore the rotator cuff and labrum again was told to hold out till retirement for surgery, I was not a perfect patient the first two surgeries but this time I have to be. Retire next May and want /need this to be the last repair. Was hoping to be ready for dove come September but will wait and see. Thanks guys, reading about everyone's experience helps to put my healing/recovery plan into perspective .

Hurry up and wait has been part of my life working on stage and film production, Hurry up and wait will be part of the healing process too, Cheers!

58 years old torn labrum and rotator cuff and bicep torn loose and hanging.( From a Fall) In excellent physical condition when it happened. Took me 1 1/2 years to feel completely normal again. Still struggle to throw anything over handed. Dreading other shoulder but can tell it will need work in future.

I had my third rotator cuff surgery last February. It takes about 3 months for the surgery to fully heal, but that does not mean you will be free and clear after that short time. I had a little occasional pain and weakness for about a year to a year and a half after I had the first two of mine, and since I am now older and this 3rd one was on my weaker shoulder, it may take a couple years.