Recovering From Your
Shoulder Bankart Repair

This guide explains what to expect as you recover from your Bankart repair, the procedure that restores the labrum and capsule that stabilize your shoulder. Please read it completely, and ask your nurse or Dr. Jazayeri to clarify anything before you leave the hospital.

Everyone heals at their own pace. Use this as a general roadmap and follow any specific instructions your care team gives you.

Before your surgery

Start XR Amino Acids 1 week before surgery to support tissue healing and recovery (xrscience.org).
The night before surgery, take an XR Carb Loading supplement to prime your energy stores.
No solid food after midnight the night before surgery.
On the morning of surgery, you may take your XR Carb Loading drink up to 2 hours before your scheduled start time. This is safe and recommended, and is the only thing to have by mouth after midnight.
Fill your prescriptions in advance, and arrange a ride, since you cannot drive after anesthesia and while taking pain medication.

Questions & Care

Call, clinic hours

(424) 800-3627

After hours

Use the after-hours nurse advice line listed on your discharge paperwork.

Emergencies

For a medical emergency, call 911.

Office

DOCS Health, 8436 W 3rd St, Ste 800, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Call the office if you notice

A fever above 101.5 F
Increasing redness around the incision
Drainage from the incision site
Any adverse effects from your medications

Call us to arrange an evaluation. For a medical emergency, call 911.

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Protect your repair · First 6 weeks

Do not rotate the arm outward past neutral, and never place the arm in the combined position of out to the side and rotated outward (the “at-risk” position). This protects the repaired labrum and capsule.

Keep this in mind during showering and dressing too: avoid extreme outward rotation or reaching the arm back for the first 6 weeks.

Recovery at a Glance

Day 3

Shower and remove dressing

First 2 weeks

Gentle shrugs only

2 weeks

Physical therapy and suture removal

4 to 6 weeks

Sling and driving

6 weeks

Motion precautions lift

4 to 6 weeks

Shoulder swelling settles

Right After Surgery

In the recovery room and heading home

You will go home the same day. After surgery you will spend time in the recovery room and be discharged about 1 to 2 hours after you are comfortable.
You cannot drive yourself. Have someone available to drive you home.
Antibiotics are given during surgery. The risk of infection is low, and no antibiotics are needed at home afterward.

Managing Pain

Staying ahead of discomfort

You may receive a nerve block along with general anesthesia. It typically lasts 12 to 24 hours; your shoulder may stay numb for 10 to 12 hours.
Take your first oral pain medication when you get home, before the block wears off, and again before bed. It is normal to feel more pain overnight or the next day as the block fades.
Always take your medications as directed.

Swelling and Icing

What is normal, and how to ease it

Swelling and discomfort are normal in the shoulder for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
Some skin discoloration is normal around the incision. You may also notice swelling in the chest, arm, and hand for 3 to 4 weeks. Doing your exercises helps this swelling go down.
Ice to control swelling, 20 to 30 minutes at a time every hour or two, using an ice bag or ice machine. Put a thin towel or t-shirt against your skin if you use ice in a plastic bag.
Icing matters most in the first 48 to 72 hours, though many people find it keeps easing pain after that.
Sleep propped up. Lying flat can increase discomfort. Many patients rest more comfortably in a recliner, or propped up in bed, for the first 4 to 6 weeks. A pillow behind your elbow can help.

Wound Care and Showering

Keeping the incision clean and dry

Remove the operative dressing on day 3 and cover the wounds with band-aids, changing them daily.
You may shower on day 3. Cover the wound with a band-aid. You may take the sling off to shower, but keep a water resistant pillow under your arm to hold the elbow and shoulder away from your body. Gently pat the area dry.
Do not soak the shoulder in water.
While showering and dressing, keep the arm from rotating outward or reaching back, for the first 6 weeks.
No swimming in a pool or ocean until your sutures are removed.

Your Medications

Filled before surgery. Always take as directed.

Percocet 10/325 mg Narcotic pain
Take 1 to 2 pills as needed every 6 hours, usually for the first 2 weeks. After that, if pain continues, a non-narcotic option (Tramadol) plus Tylenol and NSAIDs may be used.
Mobic 15 mg NSAID, anti-inflammatory
Take 1 pill every 12 hours for the first 2 weeks.
Colace 100 mg Stool softener
Take 1 tablet 2 to 3 times a day while taking pain medication, which often causes constipation.
Zofran 4 mg Anti-nausea
Take 1 tablet every 6 hours as needed for nausea, which can follow anesthesia.

If you have any adverse effects from your medications, call the office during clinic hours. For a medical emergency, call 911.

Supplementation

Fueling the healing phase

Continue XR Amino Acids for at least 2 weeks after surgery to support tissue repair, reduce muscle breakdown, and support healing of the repaired labrum and capsule (xrscience.org).
Do not skip doses. Getting enough protein and amino acids matters most during the early healing phase.

Sling and Rehab

Protecting the repair while you heal

Wear your sling at all times except during prescribed exercises or showering. The exact duration is set by your surgeon, usually 4 to 6 weeks.
Move your fingers, hand, wrist, and elbow. Remove the sling 3 to 4 times a day to gently move them. This helps reduce swelling and prevents stiffness.
For the first 2 weeks, only gentle shoulder shrugs with the sling on. Do no other shoulder exercises during this time.
Use the MyHealthTrack app to guide your rehab starting the day after surgery.
In-person physical therapy usually starts about 2 weeks after surgery, with an early focus on passive range of motion while protecting the front of the repair.
Confirm your physical therapy appointment is scheduled by calling (424) 800-3627.

Remember the 6 week precaution: no outward rotation past neutral, and never the combined out-to-the-side and rotated-outward position, until your surgeon clears it.

Follow Up

Your next visit and getting back

Schedule your suture removal for about 14 days after surgery. This 2 week visit is also when Dr. Jazayeri checks how the incision is healing.
Plan at least 3 to 5 days off work. Rest is a key part of recovery.
Driving is usually safe 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Right sided surgery may need a longer restriction, so discuss timing with your surgeon.
Call the office if you develop a fever above 101.5, redness, or drainage from the incision, so we can arrange an evaluation.

Have a speedy recovery.

Dr. Reza Jazayeri, MD and Staff
Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine · DOCS Health

Medically reviewed by Reza Jazayeri, M.D. on July 24, 2026

Recovering From Your Shoulder Bankart Repair