Rotator Cuff Surgery

Rotator cuff tears limit your daily life, impact sleep, and keep you from sport. Learn more about rotator cuff surgery, and find the right surgeon that fits your needs below, serving Canadians in major cities like Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal, Québec.

BROWSE SURGEONS
The founder of Surgency, Dr Sean Haffey smiling
Reviewed and approved by Dr. Sean Haffey
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Decide where to go

To get private surgery in Canada, you'll generally need to travel out of province. So your first step is deciding where makes sense for you.
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Search by specialty

The Surgency app makes it easy to search Surgeons by specialty, location, and procedure.
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Schedule a consult

You can schedule a consult directly on the Surgency platform. It's secure, private, and fast.
Why use Surgency to book your surgery

For Canadians who want surgery in weeks

Surgency is a free resource by a Canadian physician in the public system to help you find the right surgeon for your needs.
Click to Browse Surgeons
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How do I get a private rotator cuff surgery in Canada?

  1. Research. Explore surgeons who specialize in private rotator cuff surgery.
  • You can find surgeons in Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal, Québec on our app, and review qualifications, as well as pricing.
  1. Schedule an initial consultation. Most surgeons offer in-clinic and online consults.
  • Consultations are usually booked within days or a few weeks.
  • Note: expect a consultation fee between $150 - $350
  1. Consultation. The surgeon will review your condition, symptoms, and any previous treatments or diagnostics, such as x-rays or MRIs.
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  2. Post consultation. The surgeon will then review your case and provide surgical options based on your needs; review the risks and expected outcomes; and present pricing and scheduling options.
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  3. Schedule your surgery date. Once you confirm the procedure and payment, the clinic will schedule your surgery—generally within a few weeks.
  • Expect pre-surgery preparation, and possibly some pre-surgery tests.
  • Regarding financing, you can learn more about your options here.
  1. Surgery. The clinic will provide you with attendance instructions.
  • The operation usually takes 2-3 hours.
  • Depending on the clinic, you might be discharged within hours of your surgery, or stay for 1-2 nights.
  1. Post-operative care. The clinic will provide you with an extensive rotator cuff surgery recovery plan that includes physiotherapy, pain management, and further monitoring.
  • Note: please take post-operative care seriously. The more diligently this process is followed, the better the outcome tends to be.

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woman in rotator cuff surgery consult

Rotator cuff surgery frequently asked questions

How do I know if rotator cuff surgery is right for me?

Rotator cuff surgery may be advisable if your shoulder has a complete tear larger than 3cm, especially if caused by an injury. Surgical intervention might also make sense when your lifestyle and/or performance is compromised by your shoulder pain, impacting your ability to put on clothes, sleep, drive; or perform your job or sport.

Younger, active individuals with acute tears generally see benefits from surgery, whereas older individuals with tears resulting from lengthy degeneration might consider less invasive measures.

Your surgeon will advise you on your options based on your unique circumstances.

How much does private rotator cuff surgery cost in Canada?

Rotator cuff surgery is a major surgery with significant costs. Private clinics in Canada typically charge $5,000 to $16,000. In the United States, the average cost for rotator cuff surgery is CA$8,300.

Costs vary so much because of location, surgeon experience, facility type, complexity of the tear, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).

You also need to take into account the cost of travel and accommodation when travelling out of province.

Do I need a referral?

No, you do not need a referral for private rotator cuff surgery in Canada. You can book a consultation directly with a surgeon, and they will review your condition, symptoms, and any previous treatments or diagnostics.

What are the risks if I delay or don't get rotator cuff surgery?

The answer to this question depends heavily on your unique circumstances. Please consult your surgeon for tailored advice.

In general, delaying rotator surgery by 6-12 months presents several potential risks:

  • Torn tendons and muscles experience irreversible changes such as fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy
  • Tear progression, partial tears becoming complete tears
  • Reduced chance of successful surgical repair
  • Worsening pain
  • Secondary injuries to spine, elbow, opposite shoulder from compensatory movements
  • Frozen shoulder

If you need rotator cuff surgery, and do not get it, then you may risk:

  • Chronic shoulder pain
  • Permanent structural damage to shoulder muscles and tendons
  • Substantial limitations to daily life (i.e. unable to return to sport or active hobbies)

How do I prepare for rotator cuff surgery?

Your surgeon will provide you with guidance on how to prepare, but you can expect some pre-surgery exercises to help with stiffness, muscle weakness, and range of motion issues. If you smoke, you will be advised to stop to improve healing outcomes. Depending on your weight, you may be advised to diet and exercise to reduce surgical risks and improve healing outcomes.

Support: Try to arrange for someone to stay with you for the first few days after surgery, and someone close by who can reach you in the event of an emergency for the first several weeks/months after surgery.

Work: rotator cuff surgery recovery is challenging. If possible, you will likely need to request time off work to recover.

Post-surgery practice: You might consider 'practicing' daily activities with substantially limited range of motion, such as getting in and out of the car, getting in and out of bed, putting on and taking off shoes, etc.

When can I return to sports or active hobbies after rotator surgery?

If you're active or keen to return to sport, then you can, in general, expect at least 6 months of rehab before returning to non-contact sports, and 9-14 months before any contact sport.

Always consult your surgeon and physio for guidance.

older woman performing rehab exercises for shoulder repair

What can I expect from the rotator cuff surgery recovery process?

The recovery process varies patient to patient. Your recovery might look quite different, so please seek further guidance from your surgeon. In general here is what you can expect:

Week 1:

  • Pain, discomfort, emotion, more pain, stiffness, frustration. Week 1 is not fun.
  • Goals: Pain management, wound care, inflammation control, little to no arm movement.
  • Activities:
    • Depending on your clinic and circumstances, you might get same day discharge or recover in the clinic for 2-3 days.
    • Wearing a sling, even while sleeping, using pillows to keep shoulder still and comfortable through the night.
    • Pain medication management and wound care (it will be advantageous to have a friend, family member, or caretaker support you for both in the first few days).

Weeks 2-4:

  • The next 3 weeks are still characterized by significant discomfort, swelling, frustration, and emotional highs and lows.
  • Goals: Physical therapy for passive range of motion, keeping wound clean.
  • Activities:
    • Tapering off use of the sling.
    • Passive range of motion exercises focusing on flexion and abduction limited to 90 degrees.
    • Keeping arm still to avoid tearing the muscle again while it's healing.

Weeks 5-12:

  • Focus and diligence on exercises are starting to pay off.
  • Goals: Start active range of motion exercises, slowly regaining strength.
  • Activities:
    • Discontinuing your sling
    • Physical therapy progresses to active range of motion and light strengthening exercises

Weeks 13-52:

  • The worst of the recovery is likely behind you. But you'll need to stay on top of physical therapy and listen carefully to your body in the year post operation (and beyond).
  • Goals: Return to low impact sports and hobbies, achieve 90% strength symmetry between shoulders, focus on long-term shoulder health.
  • Activities:
    • Physical therapy may continue the entire first year post operation, gradually bringing you back to your activity levels pre-surgery.
    • You will be able to return to low impact sports like golf, tennis, swimming, or cycling. For anything high impact, please consult your surgeon and physio. Most functional recovery happens within one year of surgery, but many patients need to continue working up to pre-injury levels of activity for up to 1.5 years.
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Looking for a rotator cuff surgeon?

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