How long does recovery take after rotator cuff surgery?

[MarkP]

I’ve been dealing with a nagging pain in my shoulder for months now, and my doctor mentioned the possibility of a rotator cuff tear after an MRI. I’m trying to understand what the actual recovery process is like if surgery ends up being recommended, especially the timeline for getting back to simple daily tasks.

[Elizabeth70]

I had a rotator cuff repair last year. They kept me in a sling for about 4 to 6 weeks. The first couple of weeks were mostly passive movements with a therapist while I kept the arm relaxed. After that you start active moves, but you don’t lift anything heavy for a long time. PT was about 2 to 3 sessions a week, plus daily home exercises. By around 8 weeks I could do more, but progress felt slow. Driving was out for a while—likely a few weeks. By 3 months I was still doing most things with help, and by 4–6 months some people are getting close to normal strength, though not back to the old level yet. It’s a long, patient road.

[Timothy79]

I’ve got an MRI that suggested a rotator cuff tear, and the surgeon talked about repair as a possibility down the line. The plan feels like a long road, and I’m trying to stay patient. I’m tracking pain on a 0–10 scale and noting what I can do each day. For now I’m cautious, which is odd if you’re used to grabbing things quickly, and I’m hoping PT helps settle things down.

[Aurora26]

Honestly I keep wondering if the pain is really about tissue or something else in the joint. It’s easy to read a report and think that’s the problem, but stiffness and limited range can come from a lot of places. Do you think the actual issue is the tear, or could neck or trap muscle tension be driving some of the symptoms?

[Paisley60]

I’m not there yet, but here’s what I’ve learned from people around me. The first month after surgery is mostly healing and sling days. You’re not lifting anything heavy, you do gentle elbow and wrist work, then you start gentle range of motion with a therapist. By about 6–12 weeks you’re edging into light resistance, and by 4–6 months some folks are back to light chores like cooking or laundry. For me, progress came in fits and starts and the scale of pain changed more slowly than the calendar.