132. Rotator cuff repairs: How to treat slowly recovering patients. Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson

Why do some rotator cuff (RC) repair patients progress really slowly post-operatively and experience high levels of pain and sleep disturbance for long periods?

Find out in this case study and exploration of the latest evidence in this podcast with Jo Gibson (Shoulder Rehabilitation Specialist) as she reveals:

Quick or slow recovery?

• Which patients are likely to improve quickly, and which patients are likely to take longer to improve.
• How soon after arthroscopic RC repair your patients will experience significant improvements in pain.
• When patients sleep is likely to improve.

Objective assessment tests

• How to identify post-op nerve injury, red flags and infection.
• Objective tests you can safely perform without overstressing the rotator cuff.
• How to identify patients developing post-op frozen shoulder.

Expectations, education & reassurance

• How to help set patient expectations for recovery before and after surgery.
• Questions to ask patients after surgery that will help guide your treatment.
• How to reassure patients that are experiencing pain.
• How to explain post-op recovery to patients that are unhappy with their progress, even when their recovery is on track.

Treatment & resources

• Activities your patients may be performing that slow their post-op recovery.
• Positions and postures you can show patients to improve their pain in the day, and sleep at night.
• Resources to give your post-op patients.

The handout for this podcast consists of articles referenced in the podcast. There is no additional transcript or handout available.

Free webinar “5 common mistakes therapists make with shoulder pain, and what to do about them” with Jo Gibson

Register now for the free webinar "5 common mistakes therapists make with shoulder pain, and what to do about them" with Jo Gibson (Upper Limb Specialist Physio)

Frozen and stiff shoulder assessment & treatment with Jo Gibson

Improve your assessment and treatment of frozen and stiff shoulders now with Jo Gibson’s online course at clinicaledge.co/frozenshoulder

Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson

Improve your assessment and treatment of shoulder pain with the Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson, now available for enrolment at clinicaledge.co/shouldersuccess

Use a fresh approach to your musculoskeletal and sports injury treatment with a free trial Clinical Edge membership at clinicaledge.co/freetrial

Links associated with this episode:

• Improve your assessment and treatment of frozen and stiff shoulders now with Jo Gibson’s online course at clinicaledge.co/frozenshoulder
• Improve your shoulder assessment & treatment with the Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson
• Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a free trial Clinical Edge membership
• Join Jo Gibson live on Facebook & ask your shoulder related questions every Monday
• Download and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes
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• Infographics by Clinical Edge

Articles associated with this episode:

• Download the podcast handout to receive the articles associated with this podcast.

• Cho CH, Bae KC, Kim DH. Patients who have undergone rotator cuff repair experience around 75% functional recovery at 6 months after surgery. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2021 Jul;29(7):2220-7.

• Grubhofer F, Martinez AR, Ernstbrunner L, Haberli J, Selig ME, Yi K, Warner JJ. Speed of recovery of the most commonly performed shoulder surgeries. JSES international. 2021 Jul 1;5(4):776-81.

• Kurowicki J, Berglund DD, Momoh E, Disla S, Horn B, Giveans MR, Levy JC. Speed of recovery after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2017 Jul 1;26(7):1271-7.