Standard Shoulder Replacement TSR surgery in January

[Tennistwin]

Hi all, I am new to Bonesmart and to this forum. I have TSR surgery scheduled on my right shoulder on January 31st at UCSF. I had minor shoulder surgery on my right shoulder almost seven years ago (2016), allowing me to continue to play tennis, swim, hike, and lead an active lifestyle.
Time has come for a new right shoulder. I would like to know from any tennis players who had TSR surgery. Were you able to return to playing tennis after recovery and rehab? If so, how many times a week are you playing tennis? Did you lose range of motion, especially with serving? I am a 67 year old fit gal and have playing tennis since I was 11 years old. My orthopedist, Dr Drew Lansdown, has assured me that I will be back on the courts in four months following surgery. I play on a womens league in the Central Valley in California. I play tennis 3-4 times a week. I’m hoping I will be able to return to the courts in four months, slowly and build up to pre surgery playing time. Thank you to all for your replies.

 

[djklaugh]

@GiniAsai Welcome to BoneSmart! While I am not a tennis player I have had both shoulder joints replaced. Yes you most likely can get back to playing tennis, but I think your surgeon is a bit optimistic in saying you could do that within 4 months. The shoulder is a complex joint and with replacement all the muscles and tendons need to be either pulled aside or actually cut and reattached to bone. It takes slow and careful PT to get all those pieces back to working properly ... and you need to HEAL first before doing any kind of training for tennis.

When I had my replacements I was in a bolster sling for about 3-4 weeks and doing only very gentle swing the arm exercises. PT did not start until about 4 weeks after the surgery and, for me, was slow and carefully building up range of motion and strength in the arm. The full course of PT, for me, lasted about 5 months before I was discharged. I was 66yo for the first and 70 for the 2nd. My replacements are now 9(R) and 5(L) years old and the only things I can not do are hook a bra behind my back (I think the surgeries made both arms a bit shorter than they use to be) and do the crawl stroke when swimming (left shoulder is a bit laggy with the range of motion and I can't get a smooth around and down motion) .... but that's just me. Everyone's experience with joint replacement is different!

I wish you the very best with your new shoulder. Do read some of the threads in the shoulder recovery area to see how others have gotten on with their new shoulders. And do ask any questions you have!

 

[Jaycey]

I’m hoping I will be able to return to the courts in four months

As Deb has already advised, this sounds quite aggressive. Best to go into surgery with realistic expectations. You will get back to tennis. But only when that shoulder is fully healed and ready.

Please keep us updated. We will be with you through this journey.

 

[Tennistwin]

Thank you Jaycey and djklaugh for your replies.
My orthopedist has scheduled me to begin p.t. 1-2 weeks after surgery. I have my first p.t. appointment scheduled 10 days after surgery, not 4-6 weeks after surgery.
Being that p.t. is 10 days after surgery, I might be on the tennis court as soon as four months, but only time will tell.

 

[Jamie]

I also have had a shoulder replacement and will join the voices above that feel your surgeon may be too aggressive with his therapy plans. If your therapy at 10 days out consists of more than using a pulley for a short period of time and some pendulum arm swings (both of which you can do yourself at home), it's likely going to be too much for a new shoulder joint that needs to heal.

It's always awkward when those of us who have been through this recovery have a very different experience than a surgeon is predicting. I know you are eager to get back on the tennis courts and want to trust and follow your surgeon's guidance. So let me just tell you that the successful recoveries we've seen here on BoneSmart included immobilization of the joint with a sling for 6 weeks, pendulum swings and a pulley for motion to keep the joint loose during that time, and no lifting with that arm. Should your doctor's and therapist's plan for your recovery cause you any pain that is long-lasting or more than just mild discomfort, please consider scaling things back for at least the first 6 weeks. It is possible to damage a new shoulder with too much activity or exercise. You want this joint to heal properly so that it can last you for many years and allow you to go back to playing tennis.

Many surgeons recommend that shoulder replacement patients stick to doubles tennis after surgery. But, if you are careful and work up to it slowly, you'll have to see how your shoulder responds to singles tennis, if that's your normal game.

Best of luck to you and let us know how things go.

 

[Tennistwin]

Thank you Jamie for your advice.
I too question the urgency in p.t. so soon after surgery. The pre op appointment with my OS is on Jan 11th. I have a list of questions to ask him including the p.t. sessions. Thank you to all for your advice and feebdback regarding your own experiences with TSR. As a side note regarding p.t., I had a p.t. session last month, with hopes that p.t. would improve the stability and range of my shoulder. Boy did that backfire. After one week of p.t., my shoulder was worse than before p.t.! Physical therapy is necessary and an important component to healing, I completely understand that, as I have been an athlete for over 50 years.
No cutting corners when it comes to p.t., but I want to do what is in the best interest of healing and the best outcome possible.

 

[Jaycey]

My orthopedist has scheduled me to begin p.t. 1-2 weeks after surgery. I have my first p.t. appointment scheduled 10 days after surgery

Please get clarification on the timing of your PT. If activity starts too soon following surgery you risk damaging muscles that must have time to reconnect to bone.

Yes PT is an important component to this recovery. But post TSR the timing is quite critical.

 

[Jamie]

I'm glad to hear you're compiling some questions for your next meeting with the surgeon. As you're having your discussion, you might ask the doctor how frequently he does shoulder replacements. This is a complex procedure and you want a surgeon who is currently doing a lot of successful shoulders. Quite frankly, in looking at your surgeon's bio, it seems that he has more expertise in sports medicine than shoulder replacement.

Your last post indicated you have some concerns, so don't hesitate to trust your "gut feelings." It might be prudent for you to at least consult another surgeon before making a commitment. To get the best result, you need the best surgeon for the job.

I did a little searching and there is a surgeon in Modesto, CA who appears to focus pretty heavily on shoulder replacements. Here is a link to his information.

Dr. Michael B. Purnell - Orthopedic Surgeon in Modesto, CA

Dr. Michael B. Purnell is an experienced orthopedic surgeon in Modesto, CA. He specializes in joint replacement, sports medicine, and minimally invasive surgery. Book an appointment with Dr. Purnell at OrthoMed Center today!

orthomedcenter.com

Or, there is a surgeon in San Francisco who appears to specialize completely in shoulder replacements:

Shoulder Joint Replacement San Francisco | Shoulder Arthritis Marin, Berkeley

Dr Edwards, a shoulder specialist in Marin, Berkeley and San Francisco, CA offers shoulder joint replacement surgery to relieve symptoms of severe shoulder pain and disability due to arthritis.

www.saraedwardsmd.com

 

[beachy]

@GiniAsai
I had a left shoulder replacement 4/18/2022.
I'm not a tennis player. I believe I started PT at 3 weeks. I have a thread somewhere on this forum that might say when I started. The PT was gentle and really helped stretch out the shoulder and helped ROM. I believe I could play tennis if I wanted to. The motion is there. But, I can't run LOL
Compared to a total knee replacement the shoulder was a piece of cake. The recovery was minimal pain. Most important was to not move it for awhile.
Good luck!

 

[beachy]

@GiniAsai
Found my thread and I started PT at 4 weeks. It was never painful and never caused swelling.
The entire surgery, recovery and PT was a great experience. And I need the right shoulder replaced later this year.

 

[Ms. Osteo]

I started PT at exactly 4 weeks and entirely at home. My surgeon stressed the need to do nothing that hurt while working up to 15 reps of 4 isometric band exercises plus pulley exercise. He claimed that some patients would allow physical therapists to be too aggressive; his patients did better with self guided PT. If you wrench the repaired ligament to bone connections apart with a premature tennis move, you could injure the new joint beyond repair. One of my surgeon’s patients did this trying to zip too-tight jeans —and there was no repair for the injury. So, please, take it easy and don’t trade a month sooner on the court for a lifetime of no play at all. I could do planks (not side planks yet) by 7 months post-op and I am 75 so patience pays! Best of luck to you!