A rotator cuff tear five years ago didn’t stop Cory Peter from running his business or living his daily life. But when he ruptured his bicep last year, he knew he needed to pay a visit to a familiar person.
Corey made an appointment with OrthoIndy shoulder specialist, Dr. Matthew Lavery, who repaired his other rotator cuff previously.
Cory’s active lifestyle was put on hold until he was able to find a solution. As time went on, he couldn’t lift his arm above his head. Dr. Lavery determined Corey had ruptured the long head of his bicep and his rotator cuff was partially torn.
“Cory enjoys working out, especially crossfit, and wake-surfing,” Dr. Lavery said. “His ability to lift weights and exercise had been compromised due to his shoulder injury.”
Dr. Lavery and Corey wanted to find an option to get him back to the activities he enjoyed in his daily life. A ruptured bicep is usually treated with nonsurgical methods, however his torn rotator cuff and active lifestyle helped them decide Cory should have shoulder surgery.
What should I expect going into shoulder surgery?
Going into surgery, Cory felt comfortable because of Dr. Lavery’s thorough summary of what he should expect before, during and after surgery.
“Dr. Lavery does a fantastic job of explaining the scenarios and reasons why or how the fix is performed and lays out the recovery process in detail so that the patient understands the road map in front of them,” Cory said.
In May 2019, Dr. Lavery performed arthroscopic shoulder surgery to repair both Cory’s rotator cuff and bicep tears.
Dr. Lavery made multiple small incisions to repair his rotator cuff using a camera and minimally invasive instruments. To repair his bicep, a small incision was made near his armpit.
How long does it take to recover from shoulder surgery?
Dr. Lavery estimates a four to six-month recovery after surgery before being able to return to normal activities. In the months since surgery, Cory is building strength to get back to the activities he enjoys, pain-free.
Even though Cory’s rotator cuff tear wasn’t hindering his daily life, he was living with constant pain. Shoulder surgery was the best treatment for Cory’s injuries. The day after surgery, he was able to be back at work and picked up where he left off. His next step is getting back into crossfit, watersports and snowboarding, pain-free.
Cory’s full mobility and a return to activity will take a few more months, but from a day to day perspective, he feels 100%.
Because of physical therapy, Cory’s shoulder and its overall strength and range of motion are improving ahead of schedule.
“Most shoulder surgeries realistically take about a year before people feel like they are close to 100%,” Dr. Lavery said. “It depends on the size of the rotator cuff tear, age and other health factors.”
Cory appreciated Dr. Lavery and OrthoIndy and believes the experience was everything a patient could ask for. He advises anyone considering surgery to get it done now.
“Life is too short to live with shoulder pain when it can be fixed in an outpatient procedure in one day!” Cory said.
To make an appointment with Dr. Lavery, please call 317.884.5170 or learn more about sports medicine treatment at OrthoIndy.
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