Posted on 03/10/2026 8:07:21 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will undergo rotator cuff surgery on Tuesday, with plans to return to the office soon after, according to a department spokesperson.
“Secretary Kennedy will undergo rotator cuff surgery this Tuesday and plans to return to the office the following Monday,” an HHS spokesman told The Hill.
News that Kennedy, 72, was undergoing surgery was first reported by the National Review.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), rotator cuff surgery is often recommended when pain does not subside following nonsurgical options. Other indicators that surgery is necessary are pain that lasts six to 12 months, tendon tears larger than 3 centimeters, significant weakness in the shoulder or a tear caused by an acute injury.
The AAOS noted that most rotator cuff surgeries can be done on an outpatient basis, not requiring overnight stays in a hospital.
Kennedy often displays his physical ability. In December, he took part in a pull-up competition with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at Reagan National Airport. Last month, he shared a video online of himself and musician Kid Rock exercising together shirtless.
The secretary has disclosed past health issues he has faced. Perhaps the most notable condition he has discussed is spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition that causes his voice to waver. During his 2024 presidential campaign, a deposition from 2012 was reported on in which Kennedy said his doctor believed a parasitic worm had eaten part of his brain and died.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
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Know several people who had this surgery. The main thing is to keep up the exercises to regain the full use of the appendage. Too often, and I know two specific individuals, who wouldn’t do the exercises because it was painful. As a result, both never regained the full use of their arms.
Rest up, RFK jr. Try to do your therapy so
you can ‘rotate & radiate’!
Rotator cuff surgery one of the most painful surgeries out there, takes a long time to recover from. Sic to nine months.
wax on, wax off
Every person that had it says it doesn’t work. The orthopods have hips and knees down but they can’t get shoulders right.
My wife had that surgery some decades ago. Worked out well.
Now she is going to get a joint replacement to
“fix” alleged arthur-rightis.
We’ll see....
About three years ago, when my broke my wrist the second time, the orthopedic office I went to, sent me for a CAT scan of the shoulder. They told me that I needed a full shoulder replacement, because surgical repair wasn't possible. I wasn't going to go that route and continued with the cortisone shots.
The day after Christmas, I slipped on black ice, and went down hard on my whole left side...fractured my left femur, left scapula, and left elbow. They put a rod in my hip, but did not treat the shoulder blade or the elbow. At the time I fell, I was planning on making another appointment for a cortisone shot in the shoulder, but had to put it off due to being in the hospital and rehab for 4 weeks. I've got an appointment for next Tuesday to finally get the injection. I'm hoping that after this last fall, and new injury to the shoulder and elbow, that the cortisone will actually help like it has in the past.
Since the fall in December, I've had to rely on my right arm and hand, to do things that were too painful to do with my left hand and arm, especially while I was in rehab. I came home in late January, and used a walker until about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I'm now using a cane to get around, so depend on my right hand and arm to hold onto the cane. I've had problems with my right thumb in the past, in fact had a cortisone shot in it last June, and it helped some, but now the thumb problem is back, and radiating into my forearm when I have to pick things up, or do simple tasks like wringing out a washcloth. I had to go to a Plastic Surgeon and Orthopedic office to get the shot in the thumb last year, because my regular orthopedic office doesn't do extremities. I will however, have to wait 2-3 weeks in between shots.
I haven't had a torn rotator cuff, but have had a couple of frozen shoulders. It is the darnedest thing. On each occasion I went to bed fine and woke up in the morning with the shoulder frozen. The therapy sessions got my range of motion back to about 80% or so. Doing the daily exercises eventually got the shoulders back to 95% or so.
You need a better group of acquaintances.
You’ve had a rough time of it. I’ve had a few orthopedic mishaps but nothing so bad. I hope you continue to improve. The shots can help so much.
My wife has a similar story. She had two rotator cuff surgeries, but eventually had to get a reverse shoulder replacement.
She’s probably back 90% and has a couple more months of PT to go.
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.
I’ve had a rotator cuff tear. I got physical therapy to treat it. No surgery.
I wonder why RFK Jr. wasn’t prescribed physical therapy? PT is truly one of the greatest treatments out there for a number of physical injuries.
It depends on how bad the tear is. If it is a complete tear, the only option is surgery.
I wouldn’t count on it. Mr. GG2 had that surgery on November 24th and he was sitting in his recliner with a heavy sling on and not up to much one week out. He’s still in PT but pretty much back to normal only now.
I’ve had both shoulders scoped. It’s painful right after the procedure but root canals are too. It’s called SIUBC. Deal with the pain. Both my shoulders work fine. My surgeon interned with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team. He knows his 💩
Depends on the tear and damage not the regiment of rehab. I’ve got two massive rotator cuff tears. One I apparently did many years ago with tendons completely retracted, had a few shoulder dislocations just doing normal things, the dislocations, pwere ainful as hell but I didn’t do like they do in the movies..they popped back in on their own. Orthopedic surgeon didn’t believe me, MRI proved it and he said he didn’t know how my shoulder was staying in place. Nothing was holding it there .but something must be.
The tears on both shoulders are unrepairable. I have limited arm motion on each shoulder. I was told reverse shoulder surgery was my only option. When asked what that would do I’m told it will stop the pain but arm limitations won’t improve. I’ve dealt with the pain for years. One orthopedic surgeon said if I’m dealing with the pain then he recommended I don’t do the surgery... reasonable. I thought all my problems were just getting older.
That being said if they can be repaired, like you said, follow through with the physical therapy... it’s a must to get as much movement as possible.
Ice ice and more ice. You even get a little machine that pumps it around something that fits over your shoulder he is done for several months
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