Inflammation loop after surgery / distal clavicle excision not healing
Has anyone dealt with a prolonged inflammation/irritability cycle after shoulder surgery?
I'm about 8 months post-op and have been struggling with a pattern where PT or increased movement seems to flare the shoulder, but backing off too much makes it stiffen up. My recent MRI/doctor visit suggested there may be a mix of stiffness and irritation/overuse, which feels consistent with what I'm experiencing.
My doctor is now recommending a steroid injection and restarting PT, but I'm getting worried because it feels like I can’t find the right balance between too much and too little.
For anyone who went through something similar: did a steroid shot help calm things down enough to eventually heal the shoulder? How did you structure the return to movement without repeatedly flaring it?
Just hoping to hear experiences from people who had a very irritable shoulder after surgery and eventually got it moving in the right direction.