- April 22, 2025 Dr. Cole repaired my right shoulder rotator cuff in October 2024. I had originally injured it back in 2020 lifting a propane heater into my garage. The front of my shoulder hurt and I had less and less strength in it and ultimately tried to rehabilitate it with physical therapy. Despite performing the exercises religiously, it had other ideas, and in early March of 2024, I felt and heard my shoulder “snap” while bench pressing relatively light dumbbells.
I went to see Dr. Cole within a month, knowing it was likely a “full thickness tear” of my supraspinatus. I knew this because my profession is personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney. Unfortunately, I have both personal experience with injuries and professional expertise with injury mechanics. The MRI merely confirmed what I already suspected and Dr. Cole told me I could try the injection but that “you’ll probably see me at some point” for surgery.
I stubbornly wanted to compete in bicycle time trials that year, having missed parts of the last 3 seasons past with neck, heart, knee, and various other ailments or surgical recoveries. Despite being unable to sleep more than an hour at a time due to the shoulder pain, and despite the extreme pain of daily living, let alone extending my arms forward into “aero” position on the bike, I raced April through September, finishing 2nd in 60-64 and 2nd in Category 3. But even my high pain tolerance knew surgery had to happen after the season, and it did October 1st.
Knowing the recovery would be long and slow, I was mentally and physically ready for it. What I had not factored in were things like bathing (thankfully, my wife helped me there), toilet habits, shaving, and things like opening bottles or jars with one hand, sleeping on an incline in a sling for nearly a month, and basically starting from toddler level as far as movement and strength in my arm.
I worked diligently at physical therapy and modified things when needed. I also did lots of work on my own.
And now, a bit over six months post-surgery, I am out of pain, have more range of motion and strength than before, and am 100% satisfied with my surgical result.
Dr. Cole offered me the option of an allograft (cadaver tissue) procedure to strengthen the surgical repair of my shoulder. I gladly volunteered. Anything that would get me stronger and healthier was fine.
Brian Cole is a recognized excellent surgeon. I’ve known him for years professionally, as he has examined many of my clients in workers’ compensation cases. While he acts as the “independent” doctor in those cases, I have always found his reports and opinions to be beyond reproach. He never throws people under the bus unless there is absolutely no logical way to attribute their injuries to their work incident. In fact, I’ve even seen him recommend additional procedures their own treating doctors did not recommend. In short, he's fair, decent, ethical, and I trust him. That is why I wanted him to perform surgery on me—he’s the best and I know he is a gifted surgeon with an understanding of athletes. He’s been a team doctor for numerous Chicago teams for years. I may be a 60 year old cyclist, but I think he understands what makes me tick and how important full recovery to extreme activity is to me.
Thankfully, Dr. Cole did a wonderful job on my surgery. My right shoulder is one of the few body parts that doesn’t hurt! It really does feel better than it did 10 years ago. I trust it. And I can not only ride a bike, lift weights, walk my dog, but I can open wine bottles again.
Thank you Dr. Cole and your wonderful team for treating me so well!
