Hello
I had decompression surgery on my right side 4 weeks ago for venous TOS. After finding clots in my shoulder/upper arm, I was diagnosed. I saw a specialist up at NYU and scheduled surgery to remove my 1st rib/scalene muscles and any scar tissue that was there. Everything went well with surgery (except for the collapsed lung), and I have really recovered very quickly! I started PT to help my ROM get better before returning to work. I have a very physical job in bakery making wedding cakes etc... It's a lot of lifting and moving around. I don't want to do any damage by returning to soon, the doctor says it's really up to me when I feel comfortable enough to get back into my work schedule.

I was wondering how long people waited until returning to work? If anyone had any info that they could offer that would be great! Thanks

If the dr will allow more time off - take it and use it to get the best recuperation that you can get.

Being home is way different than being back at work full time.
If you can even start back at 1/2 days and build up to full time.

I didn't have surgery -but had troubles being sent back to full duties after PT sessions & time off work- and getting re injured = RSI /TOS

If you can think of ways to make your job more ergonomic & easier that's a good thing too.

Do you know that scar tissue/adhesions may return after surgery - like 6 +/- months later down the road.

Just something to be aware of.

I'd just that to see you get re injured again.

Is this bakery job your career, or just a fill in for now?

I ve been in pt now for almost 4 month and had little progress. I ve been off work since and they are hounding me. I m part time working on a computer for 8hours. I attempted to go back and had a lot of pain. It seems just placing my arms to type causes me distress. They think at work if I take rest periods that it will cause me no pain but it does. I don t even really understand why it so uncomfortable . My workspace is ergonomically correct so I m not sure why I have this. Anyway my md is sending me to see a cardiologist because I have compression on my supraventricular on the left side. My pt though is was odd because I have pain on my right side. It was during the adson test that they saw this on a vascular test. I have a few questions first is it worth continuing pt? Is surgery at this point an option? Do you have to have a extra rib to be dx with tos. My employment seems to think so. I had applied for compensation and was denied Therapy is very expensive money I don t have. Thanks for listen Had to vent Im ready to explode I also have to deal with diabetes t2 as well right now which is new dx

What kind of PT are you doing? have you shown any improvement at all?
What age are you aswell?

PT is working for me so i definately is worth continuing, all depends on the severity of your conditions though. Are you gettin any neurological pains?

You need a crash course on TOS & testing - the best way is to look thru our useful sticky thread starting with post #1.

If you're pursuing a work comp claim we have a a wc forum also or you can do a search for work comp info on just the TOS forum.

The posts will be older ones 2006-08 mostly i think??
so you may have to change your settings to allow older posts to show for you.

I am going to try to get disability extended so that I have more time to heal. Pastry is my career so there is no changing that at this point in my life. I am just getting started, I'm only 24! I am going to keep with the PT and take the time now to heal properly. It's just frustrating because I want to get back into a normal routine. Thanks for the input

Sorry to seashell I thought I started a new thread. I m new to tos and if I was having surgery I would defenetely take the time off to heal. Hope things go well for you.
Im 46. My pt does stretching in the scalenes right now. I did have numbness in 2 fingers which is gone but continue to have aching in the arm. of course it depends what i m doing. I continue to have tingling and patchy white palms. I did read the site but they are old post and want to have some current advice. Some of it has been helpful to understand this conidtion. As well I do stretches daily at home for 40min.

WOW, surgery did go smoothly for you. Awesome.

As Jo already stated check out the "stickies" at the top of each page and use the "search". Be sure your body is ready even though ur mind will be. You will know when the symptoms scream at you and sometimes within 18 hours if the discomfort isnt immediate.

Has anyone expressed using water therapy in conjunction with PT who is proficient in TOS? You want gravity to be ur best friend. Anything on the floor or pool stretching, relaxing "nerve glides". No pushing, pulling, strengthening. No weights or bands.

I keep reading that no strengthing excersizes if you have TOS. But i dont see how strengthing all your posterior muscles can work against you. If anything Having a strong back and core will re enforce a good straight posture.

One of the vascular surgeons I met didn't necessarily disagree with this but did say that you first had to do a serious stretching program and only after that could you begin strengthening the back and external rotators.

I also think that our cases are potentially "mild" and on the fringe of what most are calling TOS. I'm doing strengthening and stretching together and my symptoms have improved by leaps and bounds. .Even Dr Donahue was hesitant to label me with TOS despite the fact that mra indicates a compression of the subclavian artery.

KY