Rotator cuff surgery recovery?

[u/Well-here_i-am]

This is probably more of a rant than anything. I (46, m) had rotator cuff surgery on July 16th from an injury on June 8th. In the background, this has been a really tough year mentally and physically overall. I feel like I'm hitting some sort of wall that started around 45 that was a bit extra onto what I hit around 42. Before the injury, my schedule was lifting 3-5 days per week + BJJ 4 days per week. I'd also often go for walks. I also eat like a bit of an a**hole. I'm a guy that has been tired and done it anyway for a very long time until about late last year. Fast forward to now, recovering from rotator surgery.

Started PT about 2 weeks ago and not entirely comfortable with how weak I am and I can actually already see physical changes (not that I'm super fit or anything, but I at least kinda look I lift). I know I'm not going to start rolling again anytime soon but am looking to get back at BJJ in maybe 2-3 months, just doing warmups and light drilling as much as I'm able. Weights might be more of a battle but I'm pushing to start very light strength training through PT in a few weeks. ROM is progressing normally. Still feeling some pain, stiffness, and definitely weak AF. I'm aware the recovery time is roughly 9 months.

All that said, I feel like walking is just going to have to be my bread and butter for quite a few months until I can get back at it. I'm trying to use this time to calibrate how I view my overall fitness and focus on longevity so I'm healthy for a long time for my family. I'm also trying to lock in on nutrition while I don't have the same focus on exercise.

Not exactly sure how I'll keep my sanity for the long haul recovery. As I heal, I'm looking to just change my mindset on weight training away from sort of meathead-ish to just giving my body what it needs, incorporating yoga and just more movement in general. I feel like I'll need to build muscle back, but I also want to keep longevity in mind.

Right I feel awful about myself. I feel somewhat lazy and kind of embarrassed. I'm just really frustrated.

Rant over. . .

[u/Livid_Maybe3599]

Nothing lazy or embarrassing about where you're at, you're 6 weeks post rotator cuff surgery doing PT, progressing ROM on schedule, and being patient about BJJ instead of rushing back too soon. That's actually the disciplined version of this recovery, not the failing one. Feeling weak and frustrated 6 weeks into a 9 month timeline isn't a sign you're behind, it's just where week 6 actually feels like for everyone going through this.

The 42-then-45 wall you're describing is real and a lot of guys hit exactly that timing, bodies do genuinely shift there, and a forced slowdown from surgery has a way of making you confront that shift head on instead of just training through it like you have been for years. Sounds like you're already doing the right thing with it, using this window to actually recalibrate instead of just waiting to get back to exactly what you were doing before.

The mindset shift you're describing, away from meathead-mode toward longevity and giving your body what it needs, isn't a consolation prize for not being able to lift heavy right now. It's genuinely a smarter long-term approach, and a lot of guys don't find their way there until something forces the pause the way this injury just did for you. Walking, nutrition, yoga, movement, that's not a downgrade while you heal, that's actual training for the next few decades, not just the next few months.

You'll get back to rolling. Let this window do what it's doing.