Nobody wants to experience a setback after surgery that prolongs their rehab or causes them to need a secondary operation, but it’s an unfortunate reality for patients every day. The best way to prevent a setback is to understand the risks and make some informed decisions during your rehab that helps to keep it on track. With that in mind, we wanted to shine the spotlight on three of the most common reasons people experience a setback following their shoulder operation, and ways that you can work to avoid these pitfalls during your rehab.
Common Setbacks During Shoulder Surgery Rehabilitation
Here’s a closer look at three of the most common reasons that people suffer a setback during their recovery after shoulder surgery, and how to avoid these problems.
- Too Much, Too Soon – One of the biggest pitfalls to a successful rehabilitation after shoulder surgery is trying to do too much, too soon after your surgery. In many instances, recovery from shoulder surgery is measured in months, not days, so you need to be patient with your rehabilitation and not try to rush back to overly physical activities too soon. The easiest way to do this is to stay within the recommendations and restrictions put forth by your doctor and physical therapists. They know how to help your body adjust to the trauma of surgery and protect structures as they heal. If you believe you’re ready for certain activities that aren’t yet cleared by your care team, run it by them first, otherwise you may damage your surgically-repaired shoulder while it’s in a vulnerable state.
- Not Taking PT Seriously – Physical therapy will be the technique that really helps you drive home recovery, and it helps to ward off setbacks, like range of motion limitations or the onset of scar tissue. Most people are willing to participate in physical therapy when they are with the PT in the clinic, but if you’re not doing your home-based exercises, it’s easy to suffer a setback or have a delayed or incomplete recovery. Make sure you are doing your exercises, even when nobody is watching, because that can be the difference in making a full recovery or having lingering shoulder discomfort.
- Improper Wound Care – An infection can also jeopardize the integrity of your surgically addressed shoulder, or it can lead to the need for another operation. You need to be mindful about how you clean the incision site and wash the area. Your doctor will give your specific instructions about how to clean your incision site. Typically this includes keeping the incision site dry, not directly scrubbing the area when showering, and not soaking the area in a bath until the wound has closed, but again, your shoulder surgeon will provide you with instructions specific to your procedure. Take wound care seriously, because an infection can have major consequences for your shoulder and your whole body.
If you can keep these three tips in mind, and you can greatly reduce your risk of a setback following a shoulder surgery. And if you really want to do everything in your power to limit your risk of a setback, trust your operation to an experienced shoulder surgeon like Dr. Holloway. For more information, or for help with your shoulder issue, reach out to his team today at (865) 410-7887.
