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Patients with tears in their rotator cuff muscles usually have pain associated with overhead activity. When they have treatment in the form of surgery, it means that the surgeon has repaired the tendon back down to the bone. When this happens, patients can’t use their shoulder normally during this healing process because too much motion too quickly will compromise the integrity of the repair. People typically have to wear a sling for anywhere between three and six weeks afterwards. We know based on basic science studies that a tendon takes about six weeks to really heal back down to the bone. Once that healing has occurred, then the real therapy starts. That means you work on restoring the motion of the shoulder and regaining the strength. In general, it takes patients three to four months to fully recover from rotator cuff surgery. Larger tears can take up to six to nine months to fully recover as well.
