How long will I be off work after rotator cuff surgery?

It depends on your job. New Zealand’s ACC guidance puts a full return at about 6 to 8 weeks for desk work and 2 to 6 months for light to medium work.

Can I keep my health insurance while I’m off for shoulder surgery?

In the US, FMLA may allow up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, and your employer must keep your group health coverage on the same terms.

Rotator cuff surgery · Before surgery

Before Rotator Cuff Surgery: What’s Normal and What to Plan

You’re still on the job, finishing pulls with your good arm, while the foreman asks when you’ll be back and you’re guessing.

Night pain and broken sleep before a cuff repair are common, and returning to some work comes well before full duty. Line up leave, light duty and written limits before surgery, not after.

What’s normal now

Shoulder pain that wrecks your sleep is common before surgery. In one surgeon’s study, about 9 in 10 said it kept them from sleeping comfortably. Source
Night pain is one of the classic signs of a rotator cuff problem, especially lying on that side. Source
Getting back to some work comes well before getting back to full duty. Plan for both. Source
In one Sydney surgeon’s 1,502 repairs, people who stayed on light or moderate tasks before surgery did better. That’s a link, not proof. Source

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Where are you in recovery?

Pick your surgery and your week. Your map opens right here: what’s normal now, what usually comes next, and the guides for each stage. No email needed.

What usually comes next

The first 4 to 6 weeks after surgery usually mean a sling and no using the arm. A therapist moves it for you. Source
Sort out your leave and light duty now, while you can still plan. Source
If you run the business, set three dates: surgery, first check-in, and a target return to limited duty. Source

Questions to bring to your surgeon or PT

How big is the tear, and how many tendons are involved? Source
Can I keep working on light or moderate tasks until surgery? Source
Can you put a month next to each task my job asks of my arm above shoulder height? Source
After surgery, how much can I lift and from what height, can I work overhead, drive or climb, and when is each limit reviewed? Source

Don’t wait for your next visit

Night pain that gets worse week after week. Source
Pain at night along with fever, chills or unexplained weight loss. Source
A shoulder that’s red, hot and swollen. Source
New weakness, or numbness into the hand. Source

Questions men ask at this stage

How long will I be off work after rotator cuff surgery?: It depends on your job. New Zealand’s ACC guidance puts a full return at about 6 to 8 weeks for desk work and 2 to 6 months for light to medium work. Source
Can I keep my health insurance while I’m off for shoulder surgery?: In the US, FMLA may allow up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, and your employer must keep your group health coverage on the same terms. Source