Shoulder replacement?
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Hello, I'm 63 and have severe arthritis in both shoulders. A doctor first looked at the X-rays ten years ago for a rotator cuff issue, and asked, "Do you work in construction? " When I told him "Yes. How did you know?"
He said "Cause your joint is so worn out". Since then, the pain has increased a lot, and last week, both shoulders were injected with cortisone. This will be done now, every three months. We also discussed shoulder replacement if things get much worse, but they'd be adamant to do that because I still have full range of movement (although with much pain) . I'm told that it's most common for people who've followed this career, but it's usually postponed until retirement. I'm just wondering if anyone has had shoulder replacement, and what's it like? How does it feel? How long is the recovery? Thank you for your response. Rick
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beth02860 ctrix1
Posted
I had shoulder replacement surgery April of 2017 just on one shoulder I torn my rotary cup completely off the bone and had arthritis in my shoulder so I had no other choice. I worked in a tire store for 24 years and picked up to many tires and wheels in my life It does hurt just make sure u do your physical therapy that's the main thing and it takes 6 months a year too get better. I'm still going to physical therapy because the first physical therapy didn't work out as good as it should do I'm still working on my to get better
Good luck
Juanita22245 ctrix1
Posted
Hello Rick,
Sorry to hear of your shoulder issues. I have not experienced shoulder arthritis.
In my experience with shoulder surgery, decreased range of motion, pain and sleeping issues are what I continue to deal with. In August 2014 (50 yrs of age, right-handed person; fit at the time: strong core, lifted weights, other exercises), I landed on the ground from a motorcycle accident, hitting the front of my left shoulder, causing considerable trauma to it. Because of the trauma, my experience may be different than replacement due to arthritic shoulders. I would hope you will feel some relief from pain.
The surgery in my situation was a left shoulder* hemi-arthroplasty* which I am told lasts about ten years and is normally used for arthritic shoulders. There was strong pain medication and a sling was worn for six weeks post-surgery at which time staples were removed, arm straightened out (very painful that first time) and exercises began! I had a considerable amount of physiotherapy in the first year after surgery and three sessions/week for about the first ten weeks (began six weeks post-surgery). Exercise was painful and once range of motion increased to a certain point, the ROM didn’t increase any further. My ROM is about 90 degrees.
Presently, I have pain leading from the shoulder down my arm to the elbow and occasional pain in the shoulder itself. The arm pain can be quite irritating. Weeks will pass with no pain, then it will come and last for 1-3 weeks or if I overuse it, there will be pain. After work, I use heat and ice during periods of pain. The surgeon said it was unfortunate that surgery was needed when I was, what he considered, young, rather than older and less mobile but that it was the only option. I understand why you are being told it would be best to wait until after retirement to have your surgery.
My experience now, in day-to-day living, is that reaching for things can be most frustrating (reaching into the car for something, reaching out to drive-thru windows, reaching out to pull a car door closed, lifting heavy pots/pans, cleaning, gardening, reaching high, etc.). Going from being independent to asking for help has been a challenge. I can bear weight with the left arm below my waist area to a point (lifting grocery bags, etc.) but cannot lift much weight higher (than the approximately 90 degrees). Previous to injury I was a left-side sleeper. Sleeping has been most affected, both with trying to find a comfortable position and being able to sleep in any position if there is pain on the left side. This past year I have noticed improvement in the shoulder in that I am able to rest on the left side for a short time (10-15 minutes) where before, not possible. I don’t go to sleep on it as I wake up in pain; arm will get numb, i.e., feels like it has “gone to sleep.”
At my annual surgeon appointment last month, the range of motion remains the same at 90 degrees, lifting arm out in front of me and less so, lifting off to the side. I’ve been told the pin that runs from the shoulder toward the elbow can be the cause of pain and muscles which are not strong. The surgeon was satisfied, though, that the new parts haven’t moved and appear to have settled in well according to the x-ray. As difficult as it has been, I am grateful to be able to use the damaged shoulder and as I said, pain is not constant at this point. I go many days without it.
It sounds as if the pain you are dealing with in your shoulders presently is unbearable even with medication at times. I would think physical work would be very difficult in that situation. Although lengthy, I hope this explanation has been somewhat helpful.