Comment by stouset

Mine was similar, labral repair as well as rotator cuff arthroscopy.

I had nearly zero ability to lift the arm under its own power at one week and limited (but good for one week) flexibility. To be clear, I did not engage in any actual drilling or movement of that shoulder in training for perhaps a month. It was in the sling, tightly affixed to my body. I started with one-sided warmup movements and drills and progressed as I felt able.

By a month I was helping newcomers by helping them with some details of techniques. Due to being unable to lift the arm under its own power, I would “crawl” my arm using my fingers where it needed to go to show them. This was with zero actual resistance, but I was at least using the arm: moving it, contracting the muscles, working through scar tissue, and getting blood flowing.

Again, I 100% acknowledge that I exposed myself to greater levels of risk by doing this. I did try to mitigate that risk as best I could, but that never drops it to zero. And while I was pushing things, I was also adapting things day by day to what I realistically felt my capabilities were.