Expectations Coming off of Shoulder Sugery

[thepiombino]

Good day, gurus!

So as the title suggests, I'm coming off of shoulder surgery last summer. I had a SLAP tear and Bankart Lesion that was repared by placing 4 anchors in my shoulder. I was able to get back and play a few games before the end of the fall season last year, but was mostly just going through the motions- trying not to get hurt was my #1 concern, so naturally I was holding back.

Now, a full 9 months removed from surgery, I'm starting to get ready for the spring season. The first league starts in a little over a month, so I just started throwing again. The encouraging thing is there is no pain after throwing, granted I haven't really let loose yet.

Was just wondering if anyone else out there can share some first-hand advice as to what to expect and what I can do to get back close to 100% on the field.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ehudmh]

Good day, gurus!

So as the title suggests, I'm coming off of shoulder surgery last summer. I had a SLAP tear and Bankart Lesion that was repared by placing 4 anchors in my shoulder. I was able to get back and play a few games before the end of the fall season last year, but was mostly just going through the motions- trying not to get hurt was my #1 concern, so naturally I was holding back.

Now, a full 9 months removed from surgery, I'm starting to get ready for the spring season. The first league starts in a little over a month, so I just started throwing again. The encouraging thing is there is no pain after throwing, granted I haven't really let loose yet.

Was just wondering if anyone else out there can share some first-hand advice as to what to expect and what I can do to get back close to 100% on the field.

Thanks in advance!

Ease yourself back in. It sounds like you're doing this already, but make sure to keep doing that. Lots of long toss, and don't really try to hum the ball until you've gotten your arm built up throwing the distance that you'd like while doing long toss. Once there, cut that distance in half and start throwing a little harder.

Also, don't forget your mechanics -- when I was coming back from shoulder surgery, I kept trying to shortarm everything because I was afraid to do something to reinjure my shoulder (it was a football injury, unrelated to throwing, but still...) and just wound up injuring my elbow. Like you yourself posted in another thread , it's ok to take a little off of your throws to keep your mechanics correct and your throws accurate. Just follow your own advice and ease your way back into it, maintaining good throwing mechanics, and you'll be back to where you were before you know it.

 

[thepiombino]

Ease yourself back in. It sounds like you're doing this already, but make sure to keep doing that. Lots of long toss, and don't really try to hum the ball until you've gotten your arm built up throwing the distance that you'd like while doing long toss. Once there, cut that distance in half and start throwing a little harder.

Also, don't forget your mechanics -- when I was coming back from shoulder surgery, I kept trying to shortarm everything because I was afraid to do something to reinjure my shoulder (it was a football injury, unrelated to throwing, but still...) and just wound up injuring my elbow. Like you yourself posted in another thread , it's ok to take a little off of your throws to keep your mechanics correct and your throws accurate. Just follow your own advice and ease your way back into it, maintaining good throwing mechanics, and you'll be back to where you were before you know it.

That's very encouraging- thanks for the advice! So looks like long-toss for now. In your experience, would you say one month of easing back into it is sufficient enough time? I know that everybody is different, but just generally speaking. Any chance of being close to 100% sometime this season assuming I play it smart? My doctor said I would be better than ever after the surgery, but I'm sure he was just trying to make me feel better. Just wondering what the reality of it is.

 

[ehudmh]

That's very encouraging- thanks for the advice! So looks like long-toss for now. In your experience, would you say one month of easing back into it is sufficient enough time? I know that everybody is different, but just generally speaking. Any chance of being close to 100% sometime this season assuming I play it smart? My doctor said I would be better than ever after the surgery, but I'm sure he was just trying to make me feel better. Just wondering what the reality of it is.

I don't feel like I'm as strong as I was before my injury, but I think a lot of that was the way I went about things at the very beginning of trying to come back, and the fact I injured my elbow because of it. However, my throwing mechanics now are MUCH better than before the injury, and I really do feel like if I'd done it "right" from the very beginning I'd definitely be better than I was before I got hurt.

As for recovery time, I think your body will tell you when you're ready to really let it rip in a game. For me, I started throwing in January, got hurt and had to rest for a month, and started throwing again, correctly, around the first part of March. Our season started mid-April, and I played 1B for a couple of games before I felt ready to move back out to the OF. I typically play RC, but played LF at first so my throws to 3B could be shorter, and spent 2-3 games there before I went back to my home in RC. If you are consistent with a throwing program now, get out for long toss every other day for a couple of weeks, then throw every day once you feel the soreness lessen after you throw (and it WILL be sore...), you should be good to go before you get too deep into your year. YMMV, but cautiously push yourself, and do it the right way, and you'll be at least as strong a thrower with much better mechanics.

 

[DEJ13]

Good day, gurus!

So as the title suggests, I'm coming off of shoulder surgery last summer. I had a SLAP tear and Bankart Lesion that was repared by placing 4 anchors in my shoulder. I was able to get back and play a few games before the end of the fall season last year, but was mostly just going through the motions- trying not to get hurt was my #1 concern, so naturally I was holding back.

Now, a full 9 months removed from surgery, I'm starting to get ready for the spring season. The first league starts in a little over a month, so I just started throwing again. The encouraging thing is there is no pain after throwing, granted I haven't really let loose yet.

Was just wondering if anyone else out there can share some first-hand advice as to what to expect and what I can do to get back close to 100% on the field.

Thanks in advance!

Having worked with many athletes with this same condition over the years. The best advice is listen to what your physical therapist told you. They should have given you a plan to prepare for returning to play. A lot of people on here will tell you the obvious and take it slow. But there you should have receiveed a throwing progression program from your physical therapist. If not lmk...

 

[BeastoftheNEast]

good luck on your recovery. i tore my labrum in the fall. surgery oct 7th. no anchors. started hitting a month ago at 100%. broke 3 bats in 3 weeks in the cages, so i know i'm hitting at least as hard as i was in the fall. been on a throwing program for 2 weeks and only about 50%. i will probably be catching for 2mo or so before going back to OF.

 

[danhawks]

my teammate mrbtjohns had surgery in late June last year and as far as I know, he's doing well. Was throwing pretty well by the end of the fall season...good luck on your recovery

 

[thepiombino]

I don't feel like I'm as strong as I was before my injury, but I think a lot of that was the way I went about things at the very beginning of trying to come back, and the fact I injured my elbow because of it. However, my throwing mechanics now are MUCH better than before the injury, and I really do feel like if I'd done it "right" from the very beginning I'd definitely be better than I was before I got hurt.

As for recovery time, I think your body will tell you when you're ready to really let it rip in a game. For me, I started throwing in January, got hurt and had to rest for a month, and started throwing again, correctly, around the first part of March. Our season started mid-April, and I played 1B for a couple of games before I felt ready to move back out to the OF. I typically play RC, but played LF at first so my throws to 3B could be shorter, and spent 2-3 games there before I went back to my home in RC. If you are consistent with a throwing program now, get out for long toss every other day for a couple of weeks, then throw every day once you feel the soreness lessen after you throw (and it WILL be sore...), you should be good to go before you get too deep into your year. YMMV, but cautiously push yourself, and do it the right way, and you'll be at least as strong a thrower with much better mechanics.

Thanks again for your feedback. I'll be sure to take it slowly and one day at a time!

Having worked with many athletes with this same condition over the years. The best advice is listen to what your physical therapist told you. They should have given you a plan to prepare for returning to play. A lot of people on here will tell you the obvious and take it slow. But there you should have receiveed a throwing progression program from your physical therapist. If not lmk...

Truth be told, my PT told me not to play anymore, lol. I was like WTF?! My doctor was telling me I could be on the field in 4 months after the surgery, yet the PT was telling me to find a new hobby. So no, he did not give me a routine specific to getting back out there

good luck on your recovery. i tore my labrum in the fall. surgery oct 7th. no anchors. started hitting a month ago at 100%. broke 3 bats in 3 weeks in the cages, so i know i'm hitting at least as hard as i was in the fall. been on a throwing program for 2 weeks and only about 50%. i will probably be catching for 2mo or so before going back to OF.

That seems about right for me. I thought it was weird, but I had similar results last fall. My throwing, as we've established was/is no where near where it used to be strength-wise. However, my hitting was better than it had been in years, since before my shoulder got bad in the first place.

my teammate mrbtjohns had surgery in late June last year and as far as I know, he's doing well. Was throwing pretty well by the end of the fall season...good luck on your recovery

Not sure what the time frame was for your teammate, but that makes me happy to hear that there very well can be a happy ending to all this. Hopefully it will have all been worth it.

 

[obagain]

Having worked with many athletes with this same condition over the years. The best advice is listen to what your physical therapist told you. They should have given you a plan to prepare for returning to play. A lot of people on here will tell you the obvious and take it slow. But there you should have receiveed a throwing progression program from your physical therapist. If not lmk...

Not nessisarily, mine didnt have a clue, they had to look online for a throwing program and they are a huge sports medicine rehab center.
Most of what they were doing was getting my ROM back and strength back to 75% of what they called normal.
I got my dr. to give me a program and it worked well.

 

[diet pepsi]

I have not had surgery, but I have rehabbed both shoulders. I get e-mails from this company and keep thinking that I might try it. http://therotater.com/wp/

 

[mrbtjohns]

my teammate mrbtjohns had surgery in late June last year and as far as I know, he's doing well. Was throwing pretty well by the end of the fall season...good luck on your recovery

I had SLAP surgery in June 2010... Had two or three anchors (can't remember now) placed in my shoulder... I had supervised rehab three days a week BUT I also rehabbed at home EVERYDAY... I was swinging a bat in August 2010 and began throwing again in September 2010... I have 100% range of motion back and I still haven't put 100% into my throws YET... I hope all works out for you man... Let me know if you have ANY questions...

 

[thepiombino]

I had SLAP surgery in June 2010... Had two or three anchors (can't remember now) placed in my shoulder... I had supervised rehab three days a week BUT I also rehabbed at home EVERYDAY... I was swinging a bat in August 2010 and began throwing again in September 2010... I have 100% range of motion back and I still haven't put 100% into my throws YET... I hope all works out for you man... Let me know if you have ANY questions...

This is such a relief to hear! Most of what I'm reading is that I will never have 100% back, but I couldn't understand why not. I assume it's just a matter of slowly stretching things out until it reaches the point of normalcy. I know that everyone is different, but it's still nice to hear a success story like this. Gives me hope.

I do have one question- when you first started throwing, did you experience and "rubbing" sensations in the shoulder? Not sure how else to explain it- almost like a grinding sensation, but obviously not as it doesn't hurt. I'm wondering if that's just scar tissue that needs to be broken down/smoothed out in time.

 

[PEYTONPAW]

I had a slap tear and a rotator tear... Had surgery 5 weeks ago and I hit yesterday..Only swung the bat about 50%,but it felt good. I am doing the rehab now. My insurance co-pay is 30.00 a visit so there is no way I can afford that..My insurance for a teacher sucks. I digress...I still have a lot of pain, but each day it gets a litter better. There is no way i will be ablt to throw for at least another month....Totally sucks

 

[d-wreck7]

I am about to have surgery tommarow for a slap tear of my labrum and am looking forward to having range of motion again and being able to throw over the top again and cut it loose from the OF. Reading all this good info about everyone elses surgery is really good to hear and cant wait to get better and get back out there.

 

[ksprydeuce]

had rotator tear, labrum tear, and bicep tear. Had surgery in may 2010 and was hitting in sept. with a little pain. i have short-armed for so long before the surgery that my real task is getting the range of motion back. still a little sore after throwing but it feels better. good luck this year.

 

[mrbtjohns]

This is such a relief to hear! Most of what I'm reading is that I will never have 100% back, but I couldn't understand why not. I assume it's just a matter of slowly stretching things out until it reaches the point of normalcy. I know that everyone is different, but it's still nice to hear a success story like this. Gives me hope.

I do have one question- when you first started throwing, did you experience and "rubbing" sensations in the shoulder? Not sure how else to explain it- almost like a grinding sensation, but obviously not as it doesn't hurt. I'm wondering if that's just scar tissue that needs to be broken down/smoothed out in time.

It's funny that you mention that because I do have that NOW after the surgery... It's doesn't bother me or hurt but it does happen... I believe that is the mental reason why I haven't thrown a ball with 100% effort yet... No pain what so ever in the shoulder...

 

[Mayhem15]

Good luck to you guys coming back.