Reverse Shoulder Replacement FLforumuser's Recovery Thread

[ForumUser]

The Patient is doing GREAT!

Helping sort for tax day - one armed, but doing very well, indeed.

Sleeping well, 3-4 Tylenol a day - lots of icing - excellent walkabouts and the basic pendulum exercises.

We may venture out for a light shopping trip this afternoon!

 

[SaraK]

I would have hoped that recovering from the shoulder replacement would excuse the patient from any part of taxes other than a signature! Glad she's doing so well, though!

 

[Celle]

We may venture out for a light shopping trip this afternoon!

Make that shopping trip short and sweet. Your wife is going to tire very easily.

 

[FLforumuser]

As you can tell, my husband has found this forum to be very helpful! It’s also easier for him to type than me!

I’m sleeping most of the way through the night, and getting between 7-8 hours of sleep. I‘m also taking a couple of short naps during the day in the recliner. So far I’ve today, I’ve only had one 500mg Tylenol. I’m using the Icing machine 4+ times/day, still helpful.

Will shop ONLY for few groceries this afternoon!

 

[FLforumuser]

My surgery was just over two weeks ago and I’m doing well. My first follow up (at the 11 day point) showed I’m on track. I was released for physical therapy starting this week, and my first appointment is Wednesday morning. The scar ( longer than I thought it would be???) looks good. I can now shower by myself -yea!- just keeping oils and lotions off the area.

I still do momentum exercises each day, and have been working on walking straighter, shoulders back and swinging my arm some (not the sling). I’m trying to increase the time out of the sling a little more each day. Also, working on bringing my arm up to waist level when out of the sling as well. Pain helps me know when to stop!

Ice is still wonderful! I use it 3-4 times a day.

I am trying to wean myself off (or at least decrease) my use of Tylenol. Yesterday, I had (1) 500 mg (bedtime) and an Aleve during the day. So far, I’ve not taken anything today. Will see how I feel as the day progresses.

My PA recommended that I take something like Aleve or Ibuprofen prior to PT,
so will Try that on Wednesday.

Any other suggestions for dealing with physical therapy ? Thanks!

 

[Celle]

My PA recommended that I take something like Aleve or Ibuprofen prior to PT,
so will Try that on Wednesday.

That's not good idea. PT shouldn't hurt. If it hurts, it's doing more harm than good.
Pain is a warning sign that you're doing more than your new shoulder is ready for. You should never try to work through the pain.

If you take something to mask the pain while doing PT, you will miss the warning signs from your shoulder and you might do something that irritates and upsets your new joint, setting back your recovery.

This is what we advise for all new joints:

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your arm or shoulder swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

Any other suggestions for dealing with physical therapy ? Thanks!

Discomfort during PT is OK,, but going into pain is not.
Aim for a slow and gentle recovery.

It's your shoulder and you have the right to say what happens to it. You are in charge of it, not your PT. If an exercise hurts, tell your therapist, "My shoulder isn't quite ready for that yet. Let's try it again another day."
You also have the right to choose whether or not to accept advice.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

If a particular exercise is too much for your shoulder one day, try it again a week or so later. By then, your shoulder may have healed enough for that exercise.

You do need to do PT to help with your shoulder's recovery, but full recovery is going to take a long time , so there's no need to rush anything.

 

[HandyWOMAN]

I agree with taking it slow at just 2 weeks out(which I think PT is to be slower for a reverse?). I know from a broken leg, the bone it's self doesn't begin to lay down new bone until around 3 1/2 weeks! To lock the "stuff" in place. Don't want to loosen anything in there. Hopefully they're just doing very slow passive stretching loosen of muscle/tendons type stuff, things you don't dare/can't on your own(were you say when to stop), as they can support the whole arm. I did mostly the pendulum, just started going wider, & using muscles a bit more to do it, as time went by. My PT did the stretching /rotation where they have both hands supporting your whole arm. As an artist, I noticed on my New shoulder the top of the arm hung down/sat at about 1/2 inch lower from the collar bone than the other! Now at 6 months it has tighten back up to were it should be. All those tendons/ligaments were stretched out in the dislocations done.

 

[SaraK]

I agree with the others - don't do anything to mask pain before PT. I always iced immediately afterwards to get rid of any lingering discomfort but it's better for you and the PT to be able to gauge the true pain level during PT. You might also check with the surgeon's office about medication. I was told not to take Aleve or other NSAIDs other than Tylenol for the first few months because it could impact healing of the tendon. Even if that's true, it may be different for a shoulder replacement. Better to be sure, though!

 

[FLforumuser]

Hi. Think I’m doing ok still-doing isometric exercises for strength and a few for range of motion. I changed to another therapist in the group, and really like her-conservative but still encouraging. Will have PT 2x/week.

i Did have a non shoulder issue-I found out halfway through my first session that the therapist had NOT had the Covid 19 vaccine. It absolutely floored me that any medical professional-especially working indoors, up close to patients, would not have had the vaccine for their own safety and the patients! I made sure my new therapist has been vaccinated and will work only with ones who have been.

Pain is less-some nights still take a Tylenol.

At what point/timeframe did any of you stop sleeping in a sling? I’m not sure of Guidance on that issue from my doctor-will call. Would appreciate any thoughts on this From the group. Thanks!

 

[Celle]

I stopped sleeping in a sling at 6 weeks post-op.

 

[FLforumuser]

I guess I just dropped out thinking-no news is good news?? (sounds good anyway).
Pretty much healed, and have seen my doctor twice, and he is pleased with my progress. I stopped going to PT (I was going 2x/week) the first week of July (approx.9 weeks after surgery).

The first therapist assigned to me was unvaccinated (I asked her 1/2 way through the visit why she wasn't and got "I didn't want to-I want to get pregnant". I stopped and had a discussion with the Manager (who had been vaccinated and had worked with me for PKR in the past). He said he understood why I asked and wished he could make all working for him get the jab...and he would assign a vaccinated therapist to me. UNBELIEVABLE that anyone in a medical profession would choose to put themselves and others at risk!

My vaccinated therapist was wonderfully positive, and I worked with her twice a week. I continuously hit or exceeded benchmarks, and I 'graduated' the day we were going on a month long driving trip. She had given me printouts of all exercises that I should continue to do daily, as well as some tips for using hotel "tools" to exercise (ie clothes hangar for doing stretches front and back, water bottles to replace weights). I took stretch bands with me to tie onto doorknobs and also brought a small pulley system. (Christine also gave me her contact info if I needed to call but I did not need to).

Since surgery, I can count on one hand the days I missed exercising! My Doctor and therapist said that regular exercising was the key and that I should continue (indefinitely?).

I'm still working on bringing my left hand behind my back (still not where I'd like to be; would like to hook my bra with that hand but haven't been able to...yet). Also working on strengthening too-my doctor said to not overdo weight lifting (5-10 pounds). Sometimes it's still an issue (ie lifting laundry detergent in/out of upper laundry cabinets). Something tangible to practice!

Scar is healing--it is ok but still pretty good size. I massage it twice daily with a silicon creme that was recommended for scars.

Best of all, I'm in no pain when sleeping on that side! If I do sleep on my back, a small pillow is still nice to put my arm on.

I hope some of this helps those recovering. I was sooooo afraid I'd not be able to pick up heavier objects (as I like to garden, or {maybe in the future??} grandchildren)! I believe that I will! Good luck and keep exercising!

 

[djklaugh]

@FLforumuser Congratulations on your recovery and lovely progress with your new shoulder! Having had 2 shoulders replaced (regular kind not reverse) I am delighted to see your up date! And will tell you that with both shoulders, for me anyway, I have seen gradual increase in ROM, strength and functionality even years after stopping PT. The more you use them the better they seem to get ... at least in my case that's true. I still can't do the "hook a bra behind my back" but I also think these surgeries did shorten my arms a bit. Oh well front closure bras work just fine!

I'm sure that your shoulder will be up to the task of hugging and carrying small grandchildren when that blessed event occurs for you

 

[YaJustHave2Laff]

[QUOTE="FLforumuser, p477406, member: 38677"surgery was just over two weeks ago and I’m doing well…I was released for physical therapy starting this week, and my first appointment is Wednesday morning.
[/QUOTE]

I was surprised to read this because I understood from the discussion after surgery that I wouldn’t be allowed to even start PT on the shoulder for six weeks. Of course there were lots of drugs involved so I might’ve mixed that up! I do have a appointment on Wednesday so I can confirm. Something about giving all the tendons to grow back to the bones from which they had been wrenched —but the sooner the better from my point of view!