Shoulder surgery can help reduce pain and restore function in the joint, but those improvements won’t occur overnight. In fact, recovery after a shoulder procedure oftentimes takes months because the mobile joint needs to be protected while healing runs its course before aggressive physical therapy is pursued to restrengthen the area. This extended recovery process won’t always be easy, especially if you live alone and have less assistance from others.
That said, if you approach your recovery with the right mindset and have a little foresight, we’re confident that you can make a strong recovery on your own after shoulder surgery. Below, we share some tips for recovering after shoulder surgery if you live alone.
Rehabbing On Your Own After Shoulder Surgery
Recovering on your own after a shoulder replacement or another major operation will be a little more difficult, but we’re confident that you’ll do great if you keep these tips in mind.
- Manage Your Medications Carefully – While you don’t have to worry about keeping your pain medications out of reach of any children if you’re recovering on your own, you need to make sure that you take your medications as directed by your doctor. Painkillers can be addictive and habit forming, and if you are on your own, you may not have any oversight to ensure you aren’t over relying on your opioids. Only take your medications as recommended, pursue other pain control techniques like icing or deep breathing techniques, and work to wean off them as discomfort becomes more manageable.
- Mind Your Diet – If you’re unable to easily cook for yourself because one shoulder is recovering from an operation and nobody else is there to cook for you, it can be easy to fall into some bad dietary habits during your rehab. If possible, prepare some healthy and easy to reheat options prior to your operation so that you have healthy options available with the push of a few buttons. Also consider doing your grocery shopping online and having healthy options delivered so that you don’t have to try to push a grocery cart around and unload bags with one good arm. Junk foods can be pro-inflammatory, which can serve to prolong your recovery.
- Arrange Rides In Advance – You may not have someone at home who can drive you to and from the surgical center or to follow up visits, but odds are you can enlist a friend or a rideshare service to get you where you need to go. Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out your ride situation. Plan ahead so that you know how you’re getting to where you need to go.
- Find Ways To Socialize – Being physically limited while you recover can be isolating, especially if you already live on your own. You may not be able to go out as easily, but don’t let that stop you from being social. Go on a walk with a friend a couple times a week, call your parents or your sister to catch up, or invite some friends over for a movie night. Caring for your mental and emotional health is just as important as your physical health when you’re recovering from surgery, so make sure you’re not becoming a hermit while you rehab.
- Lean On Your Medical Team – Odds are you are going to encounter some challenges during your rehabilitation regardless of whether you live on your own or with others, and this is when you’ll want to lean on your medical team for answers. If you have questions about your recovery, helpful assistive devices or what you can do to make your rehabilitation go smoother, remember that you have a great resource in your care team. Don’t be afraid to lean on them if you have questions or are running into any issues with your rehab.
Recovering after shoulder surgery is hard enough without having to do it on your own, but if you keep these tips in mind, we know that you’ll rock your rehabilitation. If you have questions or concerns about a shoulder issue that you’re dealing with, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
