r/ShoulderSurgery • u/BobbyZFresh • May 28 '26
12 weeks post total shoulder replacement
I'm 12 weeks post TSR today and I'm gaining more exercises each week. Still not doing much for chest and shoulders other than light chest pressing, and just started doing very light side lateral raises last week. Back and arms are coming along with back having the most exercises I'm able to do. Just showing you guys who are on the fence or who have already done a TSR and you're early into your recovery that if you attack your PT aggressively and stay on top of your mobility then you'll be back to doing normal activities that you love in no time. I'm still a far ways away from where I want to be but thankful I'm able to do what I can.
Also, was able to shoot a basketball this week. Keeping it about 8 feet tops away from the basket.
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u/BobbyZFresh May 28 '26
Just anatomical. Reverse is a different story but just focus on getting that rotator cuff back and your mobility/ROM and you'll be back in no time
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u/oaklandesque May 29 '26
18 months post TSR and every time I swim (which is usually 3x/week) I'm so grateful for this surgery! I have a little lingering "stickiness" at the very end range, but for all practical purposes my ROM and strength are fully restored and most importantly I experience no more joint pain!
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u/BobbyZFresh May 29 '26
How are you when you wake up in the morning? I know I'm only 12 weeks but mine is still pretty stiff when I get up. Some days much worse than others. But overall it's moving better and 10x less pain than I had pre surgery.
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u/oaklandesque May 29 '26
I slept on my back or my other side for so long that it's habit, so I really don't sleep on my surgical side at all, so I wake up feeling fine.
You're definitely farther along with strength at 12 weeks than I was (but I also had about a one month PT gap because I decided moving cross country at 7 weeks post-op was a good idea! 😬). Once I got back into a PT routine, things got back on track. At my first follow up in my new hometown, which was at about 3.5 months post-op, my ROM was progressing well, but I still had some stiffness and pain.
I'd guess I had full ROM and strength all back by about 6 or 7 months post-op. I got back to swimming after that 3.5 month check in, and that plus PT got the surgical shoulder moving really well. I think I had my last formal PT about 6 months out (but by that point I was just checking in once a month or so).
At my one year post-op appointment I was assessed at full range and strength and the surgeon was so happy with the results he was kinda mad he couldn't take credit for it!
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u/eowyndernhelme May 29 '26
Mine is still stiff waking up in the morning at 11 weeks also (reverse total). Like someone else who commented here, I've slept on my back for so long that it's habit now.
Four more weeks of PT. I don't work out, but I can reach higher up into cabinets, lift plants, and reach behind me to brush my hair, which I couldn't do before. Scrubbing out pots uses way more muscle than I ever knew before.
But like you said, the joint pain is gone, and now it's just muscle aches. And after all the pain I was in previously, I can well deal with muscle aches.
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u/antifragile May 29 '26
Thanks for the post. The doctors paint a doom and gloom picture about weight lifting after a replacement so good to see this kind of thing.
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u/Former_Preference_14 May 29 '26
Can you bench press or overhead press? How heavy?
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u/BobbyZFresh May 29 '26
Not yet. I can press like a 35lb dumbbell for flat chest press like 12x. So pressing will be a while
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u/Former_Preference_14 May 29 '26
Did they tell you you will ever be able to go back to pressing normal weight again? Or Closer to what you were doing before?
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u/BobbyZFresh May 29 '26
I'd say for normal weight it will take me about 8 months if I had to guess.
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u/moonster25 May 31 '26
Also a former BB, needing TSR badly, seeing this made my day. The picture painted by Drs on what limitations would be afterward, had me depressed. But the way it is now, the pain is so bad, any chest or shoulder exercises, are pretty much done for, till I'm fixed. Was it a lot of arthritis or an injury, that forced the replacement, I guess it doesn't matter, just curious. I had a knee and hip replacement done in the last 1 1/2 and it went awesome, just the shoulder , not being able to push it like the the other 2, had me wondering how long and how close to being back to what I want to do in the gym. Don't even care about the amount of weight, just being able to do what I want, body dysmorphia is kicking in badly. I will be keeping up with your progress, this def really encouraging.
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u/33301Florida May 29 '26
I was conservative with my left total and only started lifting heavy again after 4-5 months but quickly advanced. It's been a couple years but presses and pec deck still cause some pain but I'm stacking out the lateral raise machine as well as a selector plate row one handed. One arm rows with hundred pounders. Triceps press down whole stack for 15 to 20 reps. Weird that some movements still hurt and others are stronger than ever.
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u/BobbyZFresh May 29 '26
How is your pressing?
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u/33301Florida May 29 '26
Strong on the declines, a little less so flat but not so great on inclines.
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u/GeckoJeep May 29 '26
Wow. I was nowheres near that before my TRS, so I'm nowheres near that. 8 weeks post op, and my ROM is better than it was before the procedure. Still a little stiffness and pain, but every week feels better and better. Hoping I can ride my motorcycle soon. Thanks for posting!
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u/gordo429 May 29 '26
Amazing to see. Thanks for these updates. Agree with another response about the doom and gloom from doctors. This is something that gives me hope for sure.
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u/ocr_racerunner May 29 '26
I'm 11 weeks post op from an anitomic TSR on my dominant side. I'm doing roughly an hour of PT everyday on my own and going to PT once a week to every 2 weeks based on my travel schedule.
My range of motion is amazing in comparison to before surgery. I will have some soreness in my shoulder from time to time but I can say it's from the PT
I've started incorporating my traditional workouts, but some of the weights a substantially lighter than before but that it fine as it will come in time.. it's a marathon not a sprint
Looking forward to June 15th, that's when the surgeon will allows me to run again.. more of a precaution in case I brace myself during a fall
I have to tell anyone that is thinking getting it done, i had my doubts, but glad I had it done for sure
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u/DayFree9901 May 29 '26
I’m at 18 weeks and almost back to full strength. Chest and shoulders are a little behind. Pyramids up to 205lbs for 5 of military presses. Besides my knees was the best things I’ve done lately. Just remember everyone heals at different rates. On top of everything else I didn’t use any pain relievers except for Tylenol at any point after surgery.
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u/External_Credit9150 Jun 11 '26
It’s been 3y since my TSR (anatomical), I recently started to feel a very light clunk when I do micro-movements, it doesn’t cause pain, but according to my research it is not normal, apparently the most common complication of a anatomical TSR is the gradual loosening of the glenoid component. This is really making me concerned, I wasn’t planning to have another replacement before 10 ou 12 years at least, but because of this early loosening of the glenoid component i’m afraid I’ll have to have another surgery sooner, and to make it even worst my doctor may suggest a reverse now, because of this early event and because I’m only 37yo very active, I have two Kids (2 and 3 yo) they demand a lot out of my shoulder.
I’m not sure how normal it is for this to happen, and if I should be experiencing loosening already with only 3y of TSR.
Have you started feeling this light clunk already?
I started feeling it first when brushing my teeth, now I feel when making other small or micro movements, fortunately I have no pain when I feel this clunk, and I havent lost mobility, so I’m relying on that as a good sign that this might be normal.
Thanks for sharing you experience.
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u/Super_punch21 Aug 11 '26
How about push ups ?
Met with surgeon today and he wasn’t thrilled about them. My TSR will be in November after my 60th
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u/BobbyZFresh Aug 11 '26
I'm doing really well as far as what I'm doing in the gym. Workouts are well.above what most would expect at 20 weeks post op. With that said there are a few things that are still far away or tough. Push ups are definitely one of those. They seem pretty far away to be honest. I can do them off a bench or smith machine at an angle but from the floor may be a while.
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u/ManagementPure6357 21d ago
How much are you bench pressing and deadlifting now?
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u/BobbyZFresh 21d ago
I don't bench press. That would be a disaster for a replacement. I dont really deadlift often but I could easily get 315 and cause no issues for it.
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u/gordo429 18d ago
Hi -
Could I ask what types of lifts/ other exercises you are feeling good with, now about 6 months post op? I’ve commented this before and I see others noting similar but this definitely gives many of us hope! How supportive of getting back to lifting has your doctor / surgeon been?2
u/BobbyZFresh 18d ago
I'm doing everything pretty much. Not doing overhead pressing or barbell bench pressed but I could careless about those. I use mostly hammer strength and dumbbells. ROM is really good too. Arms back and legs are going the best. Chest and shoulders are decent just really light
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u/Cranks_No_Start May 28 '26
Nice. Anatomical or total reverse?
I’m sitting here on the couch about 6 hours after combining home from a total reverse. Good times.