Recovering From Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement

Oh yeah. He says, "Just keep working it. I'm sure it will get better in time."

Well, that's encouraging. I suppose. :-)  The numbness I can live with.  Its just that the "paralysed" muscles don't allow for smooth physio range of motion.

Please keep posting, what age are you? Where did you

have surgery? The reverse shoulder recovery will be very

different from normal shoulder replacement, as the deltoid muscle

replaces the rotator cuff, so we have been told. We saw someone

at our hospital who had the operation 5weeks ago and he could

lift his arm above his head without pain. But the don't promise that,

just no pain and to lift your arm to shoulder height. Re your pain

after hip replacement it takes many months for full integration.

Cathie

I'm 70. Surgery done at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Still get swelling  in arm and hand. Mostly pain free. Physio exercises are hindered by damaged (hopefully just bruised) radial nerve. That 5-week guy is lucky .... ahead of the curve.

We are in Portugal, the shoulder consultant is coming from Lisbon

to the Algarve. Did you have a local anaesthetic?

I have had both hips replaced and found the forums to be helpful.

I am disappointed that there are not more reverse shoulder prosthesis

patients to learn from. Were you in a lot of pain before. My husband is.

he has had to have a lot of tests because he had bacterial pneumonia

at Christmas, ...he feels that this damaged his rotator cuff muscles.

He is bone on bone on his shoulder joint. When at the hospital

I wish we'd spoken to the 5 week recoveree, but he was in front of us,

aged 74, overweight, and it was the consultant who told us about his

progress.

cathie

I did not have arthritis. My problem was a dislocation and fracture due to an ATV accident. The crown of the humerus bone broke off and lodged in my arm pit. That is probably the reason for the radial nerve damage. If no nerve damage I'd be well into my physio. Best case scenario is that light physio begins at 2 weeks. Here's a good reference. The last 2 pages outline the physio protocol .... if you can understand the jargon.

http://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.2007.2562

I had a nerve block in the neck plus a light general anasthetic. Just going with a heavy general they say has much worse side affects. (groggy; nausea, etc.)

You sound like your surgery was complicated, and accident

related, which makes comparisons difficult.

How long was your operation? They haven't given my husband

any choice re general anaesthetic, but I had a worse reaction

to a local than a general when I had hip replacements?

Were/are you on blood thinners?

Cathie

I need a simpler version, the last two pages had me beaten...

?visualise the elbow? .. I supposed the supine position is doing

the exercises in a recliner, which you gradually raise to sitting..

I am going to look for diagrams. What is worrying me is that a 

physio knows the difference between shoulder replacement

revision, and reverse shoulder replacement. We are in Portugal

and this is when language can cause problems!

Cathie

 

No, no blood thinners. Operation was 2 hours. And yes, I wrecked a perfectly good shoulder in one careless moment while driving a 4-wheel ATV. Started physio today. I learned that there are different philosophies on when to start physio. Some start immediately.

That protocol is general and contains a lot of medical jargon. Don't worry. They will customise a physio plan for the individual.

Tried to post yesterday. I hope your physio went well.

my husband's op is Thursday. I plan to post the forum after, 

there is so little information re reverse shoulder prosthesis

op. on the site

Cathie

All best wishes to you and your hubby. Hope the surgery goes well. If you start a new "thread" post a link to it here.

 

Don't be too discouraged yet. See if you can arrange for a nerve test. They can pin-point which nerves are working and which ones are not working. That can explain why muscles are not working. Then follow up with another nerve test in 4-to-6 weeks. If there is improvement, the test will tell you. I had nil use of my tricep and my deltoid for 3 months. But they came back. Be sure to do your therapy. And keep trying, even though you can't. Simply trying, helps to repair the nerves. Stay positive. TR

Dr Jon Warner MGH Boston ! 

Hi monica

i am considering seeing dr Warner for shoulder replacement what was your experience

I highly recommend him! 

I’m currently swimming and lifting my arm overhead! 

Here is my email

Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

That is great ! I will try to email you !