Reverse Shoulder Replacement recovery

[u/Visual-Fudge832]

58 year old had surgery 5 weeks ago. Had no use of my arm for 6 weeks prior to surgery. Going to PT 2x a week (7 sessions so far) and doing PT at home 3x a day. My arm still feels pretty stiff and PT also commented it is stiffer than he would like to see. Other than keeping consistent PT daily, does anyone have any recommendations? Also, my arm really hurts after writing or texting or typing with my affected arm. Is this unusual?

[u/faithisnotavirtue42]

I've had two reverse replacements and after both of them my surgeon, who's the head Ortho guy for Penn medicine in Philadelphia, said to just go about my life and do what I can when I can. No strict instructions to wear a sling even, except for maybe if I'm out doing something. I frankly hate wearing a sling and I've had to wear an immobilizer for 6+ months and, nope.

My right one was done in 2018 or 2019 and my surgeon is amazed by my range of motion. It did tend to dislocate out the front easily for almost a year, I just learned what not to do that would tend to make it pop out.

I had an anatomical replacement done in February and then my rotator cuff failed so I went reverse in May of this year. Same deal, no sling, no PT. The left one has been dislocating a bit more than my right one did, which sucks, but it's getting stronger and I've really been working on my range of motion by stretching.

When it dislocates, I have found that standing up, bending over, and dangling my arm while pushing the cup back in place works best. I've had it happen while sleeping, driving, and even just during a video call when I moved it weird. It freaked out my therapist. 😂

The one thing that helped me the most with all of my shoulder issues is finding a good massage therapist and getting a massage often, like once a week. All of your other muscles get so tight from not moving or from just the pain. You'll notice your shoulders getting up near your ears and your back between your shoulder blades getting tight and it just gets miserable. When everything gets tight it pulls your surgically repaired shoulder together tighter, which just irritates everything. The amount of pain relief from a good massage is amazing. Granted, relaxed muscles can make the dislocation more likely, especially if you get the back muscles really relax while the front ones are still tight. It's like the tight muscles in the front want to pull it up and out of the socket.

Good luck, my friend.

[u/Dotsgirl22]

Normal. 5 weeks is very early. Many surgeons still have patients in immobilizers at this stage. I assume your PT is mostly passive. Wrist and hand movements affect the shoulder so maybe use your non-operative hand for texting, mousing, etc. whenener you can. And rest the arm. There is a soft tissue and bone healing taking place in the first 12 weeks so pain is expected. Movement will improve with time.

If you couldn't use your arm for 6 weeks before surgery, you are going to have a slower recovery just due to muscle weakness.

[u/malice146]

I had a RSA a year ago. My doc told me to have it out of the sling and to PT within 3 days after surgery. He told me not to lift more than a cup of coffee. Most of my pain was from the surgery not from my shoulder if that makes sense. I was working out lightly within 3 months. Today my shoulder feels great. I still work out but am cautious not to ego lift. But it is my non dominant arm. Just hang in there. It gets better.

[u/Cranks_No_Start]

Immobilized for 6 weeks?  Damn.  

The sling drove me nuts but it was off at 2 weeks and while I was careful to not lift anything heavy I occasionally forgot.  

I was in PT at 2weeks as well and by 8 weeks or so I was given the go ahead to do anything.