In any walk of life, we don’t want to pursue something that won’t be worth our time and effort when all is said and done, but that’s especially true when it comes to surgery. Even the most routine surgeries carry the potential for significant risk, and patients want to know that the discomfort, the time and the money will be worth it by the end of their rehab. So will your shoulder surgery be worth it, or should you consider a different treatment path? We answer those questions and more in today’s blog.
Will My Shoulder Operation Be Worth It In The End?
We can’t sit here and say conclusively that your shoulder surgery will or won’t be worth it when all is said and done. For a more personalized answer to that question, broach the topic of shoulder surgery with your specialist and see what they have to say about the potential payoff of a surgical procedure. With that said, it is more likely that your shoulder surgery will be worth it in the end if you can say yes to the following statements:
- You’ve Confirmed The True Source Of Shoulder Discomfort – A small portion of procedures fail because the underlying problem is misidentified. It’s important that you work to confirm the true underlying cause of your pain before you proceed with surgery. You can do this by seeking out a second opinion or by having a shoulder specialist review recommendations or images taken by a primary care provider.
- You’ve Tried Conservative Techniques For Weeks – Unless there is an extreme risk to your health, odds are surgery will not be your first course of treatment. The vast majority of shoulder specialists are going to want you to pursue a few different conservative care techniques over the course of a number of weeks before they will consider addressing your condition with an operation. Non-surgical techniques are oftentimes very effective for a wide range of shoulder conditions, and these treatments do not carry the same level of risk as a shoulder procedure. Surgery may not be worth it if you could achieve the same or even better results by simply diving into a conservative treatment program. We’ll be more than happy to set you up with a non-operative treatment plan that suits your needs.
- You’re Willing To Put In The Work Before Surgery – In most cases, you don’t need to wait until surgery is complete to start making your shoulder stronger and more stable. Odds are your doctor can set you up with some prehabilitation exercises that can strengthen key areas of your shoulder, and they can talk with you about improving your diet and exercise routines before surgery so that your body is ready for the trauma of surgery. Studies have shown that patients who pursue prehab tend to have better outcomes and recover faster than those who wait until after surgery to start strengthening their shoulder, so it’s more likely that surgery will be worth it if you put in some effort beforehand!
- You’re Willing To Put In The Work Afterwards – Finally, surgery is much more likely to be worth all the hassle if you are willing to really challenge yourself during your recovery and rehabilitation period. We always tell our patients that you’ll get out what you put in, so if you just stay in bed and assume you’ll get back to full health with rest alone, odds are you’ll be disappointed. Come in with a mindset that although surgery will handle the technical aspect, you will drive home your recovery by putting in the work during physical therapy sessions. We’ll do our part to make your surgery worth it, but just know that you also have some control over your long-term outcome and whether or not everything was worth it in the end.
We’re confident that for the right patient, surgery will certainly be worth it, but we’d love to have a consultation with you and look at some of the specifics of your individual shoulder situation. To set up that appointment, or to talk with a specialist about a different shoulder issue, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
