What to expect after surgery
After surgery, there is typically a period of 5-7 days where a dressing is on the shoulder, and the arm is in a sling. After that time, the dressings and sutures are removed, and the sling is discontinued. Typically, physical therapy starts the week after surgery, and will continue for 8-10 weeks. Depending on the type of work patients do, they can return to work 1-2 weeks after surgery if they have a desk job, or 8-12 weeks after surgery for a job that involves a lot of lifting. Full recovery after impingement surgery is common, but takes 3-5 months.