Post Surgery Training Plan

[lucidblue]

I need help coming up with a post surgery training plan. On 9/7 I am having shoulder surgery to correct instability and a bankart tear. The first week I will be immobile, then I will have physical therapy for 4 months. I will be in a sling for 3-4 weeks. I plan on putting my gym membership on hold for the 1st month to allow myself to rest and heal. Can anyone help me come up with a training plan that does not involve the use of my right arm and most of my upper body? I'm thinking I will be able to do recumbent bike at first for cardio and then move to hands-free eliptical. I will probably be able to do legs on machines until I can use plate loaded equipment. I'm working at cleaning up my diet and have gotten myself on track with that.

Given these contraints what training will work best to keep me in decent shape until I can get back to my normal 5x5 plan?

Thanks in advance

 

[d3track]

do what you can
maybe alot of outside power walking

 

[bignate73]

just as a list:

lunges
stepups
squats (variations)
GM's with bands(if you can get some)

upper body you will be limited obviously.

abs, no real restrictions other than mobility and arm placement.

 

[big4life]

Can anyone help me come up with a training plan that does not involve the use of my right arm and most of my upper body? I'm thinking I will be able to do recumbent bike at first for cardio and then move to hands-free eliptical. I will probably be able to do legs on machines until I can use plate loaded equipment. I'm working at cleaning up my diet and have gotten myself on track with that.

Given these contraints what training will work best to keep me in decent shape until I can get back to my normal 5x5 plan?

Thanks in advance

Those sound good to me, I would add walking on the treadmill with an incline. That's what I did after my surgery. For working legs I would just use the machines that you can use without causing any problems for your shoulder. The hardest thing that I found was working my hamstrings. I couldn't do leg curls lying down, I tried doing kneeling leg curls, but balance was an issue. I finally started changing my feet position when I did leg presses, or squat presses. I kept my feet closer together and towards the bottom of the plate when I wanted to hit quads, and moved my feet wider apart and to the top of the plate for hamstrings.

Good luck with your shoulder.

 

[lucidblue]

Those sound good to me, I would add walking on the treadmill with an incline. That's what I did after my surgery. For working legs I would just use the machines that you can use without causing any problems for your shoulder. The hardest thing that I found was working my hamstrings. I couldn't do leg curls lying down, I tried doing kneeling leg curls, but balance was an issue. I finally started changing my feet position when I did leg presses, or squat presses. I kept my feet closer together and towards the bottom of the plate when I wanted to hit quads, and moved my feet wider apart and to the top of the plate for hamstrings.

Good luck with your shoulder.

Thanks! There is a seated hamstring machine at my gym, so hopefully that will do the job temporarily. I'll try the modified leg presses too... see what hits the hamstrings better. Can't wait to just get this over with!

 

[super_rice]

sled dragging? one-armed deadlifts?

those could be fun, and a welcome change from the usual

 

[Parabellum]

just as a list:

lunges
stepups
squats (variations)
GM's with bands(if you can get some)

upper body you will be limited obviously.

abs, no real restrictions other than mobility and arm placement.

I had shoulder surgery 3 months ago for distal clavicle excission, decompression, and impingment (bone spur). I do a lot ot thera band work and just started doing upper & lower body workouts. If I do squats I set myself back a week. Ther squats are painless , but the day after my soudler hurts and give me trouble for a few days. Enough trouble to affect day to day things.

Check my log in the powerlifting board for some ideas. But 1st and foremost listen to your doc and don't rush it.

The 1st three days after surgery are the worst. I ahd to sleep sitting up because I couldn't lay down without making my shoulder move. The pain killers only help so much.

 

[from zero]

Thanks! There is a seated hamstring machine at my gym, so hopefully that will do the job temporarily. I'll try the modified leg presses too... see what hits the hamstrings better. Can't wait to just get this over with!

You might be able to do some GHRs. I know that gym doesn't have the means to do so, but you can improvise and do them on the floor. You will have to do them assisted. If you're strong enough, you can do that with your good arm.

In addition, if you have access to some bands, you can perform the exercise with those.

Make sure you're lifting with someone for a while too .....

 

[bigstve12]

bankart lesions aren't all that common..if you dont mind me asking...how did you do it?

 

[lucidblue]

Thanks guys!

Parabellum - I will listen to the doc and won't rush. I just want to make sure I heal as quickly as possible without setting myself back. As for the sleeping, my doc suggested getting a recliner and sleeping in that for awhile. Luckily, my parents have an extra that I can borrow. Good luck with the rest of your recovery!!

FZ - Yeah, I definitely plan on not lifting alone for awhile. I think I'll be okay with the machines, but once I move back to free weights and plate loaded machines I'll probably need help loading them up.

bigstve12 - They can't see the bankart on the MRI, but the doc said it is common to not see them until they get inside with the scope. He is fairly sure there's a tear based on my symptoms and therapy not helping the injury. They are going in to do the plication (sp?) for the instability and fix the tear if it is there. The instability started when I dislocated my shoulder 11 years ago during a tennis match in high school. I've had problems with subluxation ever since. With the increased weightlifting over the last 3 years the subluxation got worse allowing the ball of the shoulder to bang against the labrum and most likely cause a tear.

 

[supreme]

I just finnished rehabing a wrestler from a labral tear- Bankart lesion and multiple subluxations. You can definately make rapid recovery provided you get a good sports PT and pay attention to your diet & supplements. You need to decrease inflammation and speed tissue healing. I'll find the list of supplements I used with my guy - got it from Charles Poliquin, worked wonders.

Don't neglect upper body work with the good arm, You can decrease atrophy and strength decreases by training the opposite side for common neural pathways cross in the spinal column thus you can stiimulate the injured side by training the opposite limb.

Let me know when your post-op & I'll put up some suggestions & routines.

S

 

[lucidblue]

Thanks Supreme . I look forward to the additional info. Not many people know too much about exactly what I'm having done, so I'm relieved to hear from someone who has actually worked with it. How long did it take your wrestler to recover?

I'm having surgery Tuesday so I'll try to post up Wednesday or Thursday.

 

[Smurfy]

Good luck with your surgery and post-op rehab Lucid!

 

[lucidblue]

Good luck with your surgery and post-op rehab Lucid!

Thanks Smurfy! I'm a bit nervous, but I think it's mainly because I'll have a hard time adjusting to not being able to everything myself . Hopefully, I won't drive my b/f crazy. I just want to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible without hurting myself.

 

[lucidblue]

Surgery went well. I did not have a labral tear... so hopefully rehab won't be quite as bad. I only had anterior stabilization done. I'm in quite a bit of pain since the nerve block wore off, but I figure each day will get better. My right arm has to stay completely immobile for 7-10 days. Hard typing w/ just my left hand... lol.

 

[Smurfy]

Great news. Good luck with your recovery/rehab and keep us up to date.

 

[bignate73]

Rest up, take it easy, and build yourself back safely!