Postoperative Recovery
- You will most likely stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 days.
- Physiotherapy immediately as advised
- Sling for 3weeks
- Range of movement 3-6weeks
- Active assisted movement with stick 6-9weeks
- Active movements without stick 9-12weeks with thera [resistant] band to improve movement and strength
All above-mentioned time spans are in general and may vary with each patient. Post-surgery evaluation is needed for each patient @Dr Sachin Karkamkar
Pain Management:
After surgery, you will feel some pain, but your surgeon and nurses will provide medication to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Pain management is an important part of your recovery. Shoulder movement will begin soon after surgery, and when you feel less pain, you can start moving for larger angles and also get your strength back more quickly. Talk with your surgeon if postoperative pain becomes a problem.
Physical Therapy
A continuous passive motion machine can help prevent postoperative shoulder stiffness in the early postoperative period.
Most patients begin exercising their shoulders the day after surgery.
A physical therapist will teach you specific exercises to strengthen your upper limb and restore shoulder movement to allow normal daily activities soon after your surgery.
Your Recovery at Home
Wound Care:
You will have stitches or staples running along your wound or a suture beneath your skin on the front of your shoulder. The stitches or staples over the skin will be removed several weeks after surgery. A sutures in deeper muscles dissolve on its own and don’t need removal. Avoid soaking the wound in water until it has thoroughly sealed and dried. You may continue dressing of the wound to prevent irritation from clothing or support
stockings.
Diet:
Some loss of appetite is common for several days after surgery.
Take light, small and frequent meals. High protein diet help in faster wound and muscle strength recovery
Activity:
Exercise is a critical component of home care, particularly during the first few weeks after
surgery.
You should be able to resume most normal activities of daily living within 3 to 4 weeks following surgery.
Some pain with activity and at night is common for several weeks after surgery.
Your activity program should include:
- A graduated program to slowly increase your mobility, initially in your home and later outside
- Resuming other normal household activities, such as home cleaning, basic kichen work, and sedentary job of typing writing self-care
- Specific exercises several times a day to restore movement and strengthen your shoulder. You probably will be able to perform the exercises without help, but you may have a physical therapist help you at home or in a therapy center the first few weeks after surgery.
Outcomes
How Your New Shoulder Is Different:
Improvement of shoulder motion is a goal of total shoulder replacement, but restoration of full motion is uncommon. The motion of your shoulder replacement after surgery can be predicted by the range of motion you have in your shoulder before surgery. Most patients can expect to be able to almost fully move the replaced shoulder and to move the shoulder sufficiently for daily work
This is a normal:
Most people feel some numbness in the skin around your incision. You also may feel some soreness, particularly with excessive activities. Most people also feel or hear some clicking with shoulder movement. This is not worrisome These differences often diminish with time and most patients find them to be tolerable when compared with the pain and limited function they experienced before surgery. Your new shoulder may activate metal detectors required for security in airports and some buildings. Tell the security agent about your shoulder replacement if the alarm is activated.
Protecting Your Shoulder Replacement
After surgery, make sure you also do the following:
- Participate in regular light exercise programs to maintain proper strength and mobility of your new shoulder Take special precautions to avoid falls and injuries.
- Make sure your dentist knows that you have a shoulder replacement. You should be given antibiotics before all dental surgery for the rest of your life
- See your orthopedic surgeon periodically for a routine follow-up examination and x-rays, usually once a year
Extending the Life of Your Shoulder Implant
Currently, more than 90% of modern total shoulder replacements are still functioning well 15
years after the surgery.
Following your orthopedic surgeon's instructions after surgery and taking care to protect your
shoulder replacement and your general health are important ways you can contribute to the final
the success of your surgery.
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