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How long does it take to recover from arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery?

It is important to realize that every person’s recovery plan looks different. However, there are some general guidelines.  

After surgery, the shoulder will be in a sling, with movement very limited. The sling may also be attached at the waist to prevent raising the arm. There will also be a dressing or wrap covering the surgical incisions. This dressing and sling usually need to stay on for seven days. Other activity that does not move the arm is ok and moving around is recommended. Some people who have jobs that do not require movement from the affected arm may go back to work in some capacity. During the first seven days, you will not be able to drive or operate machinery because of your restricted movement and response time. You may also be on pain medications.

You will likely see your surgeon in the office at the 7-day mark and the shoulder dressing will be removed. 

If healing is going well and pain is well controlled, you may be given a less-restrictive sling to wear for about three more weeks. At four weeks post-op, life may be mostly back to normal, but you will need to be careful not to strain the shoulder or do things that are high impact, like sports and running for the first three months.

During the recovery period, you may receive a list of exercises to do that will strengthen your shoulder and the muscles around it. It is important to always follow your doctor’s instructions and promptly report anything out of the ordinary, such as bleeding, swelling, heat on the incision site, or excessive pain.

What is arthroscopic rotator cuff repair?

Is rotator cuff surgery considered a major surgery?

How can you tell if your rotator cuff is torn or strained? (Where does it hurt with a torn rotator cuff?)

What happens if a torn rotator cuff goes untreated?

How can I make my rotator cuff heal faster?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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