Recovering From Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
Posted , 18 users are following.
Surgery 4 weeks ago. Incision healing well. Basic surgery seems to be progressing well. BUT, ... I have all the classic symptoms of radial nerve damage. Numbness near thumb/ can't straighten fingers or wrist/ numbness at outside of upper arm. Anyone else experience this? I'm concerned that my physio will be severely hindered by appropriate muscles not getting the right signals. To clarify, ... range of motion is not painful ... it's just not possible.
0 likes, 49 replies
ELad Wingman
Posted
Ten days into total reverse arthroscopy. Surgery was 1 hour. The shoulder was a mess due to 2 previous rotator cuff surgeries and osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. One night stay. Had PT assigned prior to discharge. 5 reps of 10+ elements daily. Ice vest and leg clot machine for 2-3 weeks. No issues with loss of feeling, except I've had a numb foot and now thigh numbness (ANY thoughts anyone?). RN didn't see a serious issue. Gonna ask more questions Monday. Expecting 2/3 of a real shoulder/arms capacity. Real PT prolly starts at week 3 or 4. Rehabilitation is always tougher than the surgery related "injury" recovery. This is the 4th shoulder procedure and rehabs I have participated in. 1 left rotator cuff 4 years ago and 3 right, with 3 being the replacement
Luck to all...
ELad
Posted
It's me 13 weeks after Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement... I have been working diligently on rehab. Started the day after the surgery and have increased in intensity since that day. I now have almost all my ROM back, or about 2/3 as all I can expect. Since it's after 12 weeks I can push it harder and apply more weight to the exercises. I am pleased with the result so far and expect it to continue. My physical therapist is highly knowledgeable and has been an enormous help. I get discomfort after a tough workout or by the end of the day. I have been using lidocaine SalonPas to dull the discomfort that appears to be mostly muscle pain. Important for me to increase my power through lifting increased weights as I try to get it ready for a slow return to golf. Doing formal PT 2 days a week and the other 5 I work on it at home with bands and weights. Overall pleased with the result so far, though I expect only about 2/3 the natural joins ROM. I am 69 and the vast majority of my pre-replacement discomfort and constraint in movement has markedly improved.
pierre62096 Wingman
Posted
I am now 63 and had unsuccessful rotator cuff surgery about 9 months ago. The shoulder was pretty bad. So a reverse shoulder replacement was done. All went well during surgery but in the recovery room I realized I could not move my fingers. Later I found that the whole arm and hand was numb and with no muscle power whatsoever. I have been exercising the hand since and little by little some strength (minimal) has returned in the fingers and wrist. The arm and hand are still numb but a little less for the middle finger and some areas at the back of the arm; I have some sensation when touched.
At 4 weeks there is still a fair amount of shoulder pain. It creeps in after leaving the arm hanging for more than 15 minutes. Feels like mostly muscle pain as the shoulder joint can be passively moved without pain. Lying on my back with the arm bent at the elbow relieves pain 100%.
At this time I am doing passive stretching exercises at the shoulder only to maintain my ROM. Another couple of weeks and I will slowly start some active PT. My biggest worry at this time is the numbness and lack of power in the whole arm. For instance, standing with the arm bent at 90 degrees at the elbow, it is impossible to rotate the arm out or in. It just swings loosely in an arc with zero control. Will I recover from this, get the strength back and get rid of the numbness?
La_orthopaedica pierre62096
Posted
joan_13169 La_orthopaedica
Posted
pierre62096 joan_13169
Posted
I will not give up. I feel there are some improvements but it may all be between the ears.
I will post progress (or lack of) on a regular basis. It would be nice to hear from others here as to how their recovery went.
Geo1046 Wingman
Posted
I had my surgery 8 months ago. I had a PT at home for three days then right to ATI for about 8 weeks of PT.
I start lifting weights seriously about a month ago. I had to stop for my replacement of my two knees and the other shoulder. I have numbness in but hands and pain in my left shoulder the last one they did. I went for a nerve test and have a problem with my c-4 and c-8. I'm off all pain medicine and use aleve two in the am in the pm. I'm still lifting and work thru the pain until my endorphins kick in and my workout musics starts. Hang in and keep working on your shoulder it improves a little at a time. I treat my replacements as a job to work on in as must as possible.