How long should I wear a sling after rotator cuff repair?
It is extremely important to listen to your surgeon’s advice regarding how long to wear a sling after rotator cuff repair!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
“Why is this?”
————————————————————
After your surgery, it takes several months for the repaired tendon to anchor to the bone. During the healing time the anchor and sutures associated with the repair are typically not strong enough to support the weight of your arm nor significant movement. The sling helps to minimize any tension on the sutures and tendons and makes sure that the healing progresses.
———————————————————————————————————-
“Well how long does it take to heal?”
————————————————————
Depending on the size and location of your tear, how long it has been there, age, the strength of the repair can vary over time. A very general rule of thumb is that it takes a minimum of 12 weeks for significant healing to take place in order to minimize the risk of retearing the repair with standard, nonstrenuous use of the arm.
———————————————————————————————————-
“What can happen if I do not wear the sling?”
————————————————————-
Unfortunately, a complication after rotator cuff repair is retearing of the rotator cuff tendon at the repair site. This can happen even more frequently when protective measures like sling use are not done after surgery. It has been demonstrated that many people who have retearing go on to have good satisfaction and use of their arm, but those with tears often also go on to have more difficulty using their arm.
————————————————————————————————————-
“What kind of sling should be used?”
————————————————————--
There are several different types of slings, but for supraspinatus tendon repairs (most commonly repaired rotator cuff tendon), an abduction pillow sling will be able to minimize stress on the repaired tendon. Consult with your surgeon who should be able to provide recommendations and provide an appropriate sling to use.
