Shoulder replacement surgery is a major undertaking, and before a person decides to commit to having the procedure, they likely consider what life will look like in the short- and long-term following the operation. Will they be better off a year from now, or is the procedure and recovery period not worth the time, discomfort, money and effort? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at what you can expect life to look like a year after your shoulder replacement surgery.
One Year After Shoulder Replacement
You’ll be able to get a better idea of what life may look like a year after your shoulder replacement procedure by consulting with your orthopedic surgeon who can explore your specific situation and give you personalized advice. With that said, many people follow a pretty similar recovery timeline after shoulder surgery, so let’s take a closer look at what you can expect as you progress through your recovery.
Let’s begin by answering the question at the heart of this blog. Where can you expect to be one year after your shoulder replacement operation? In most cases, you can expect to have much more function and much less pain one year after your shoulder replacement procedure has been conducted. The vast majority of patients have been cleared for all normal activities, so there’s a good chance you’re back to all the activities you once loved. Even activities that involve swinging or overhead arm movements, like golf, Pickleball or reaching for something on the top shelf of the cupboard should be no problem one year after your surgery. Individual results may vary, and total recovery can take up to two years following a shoulder replacement operation, but in most cases, you will have made a significant recovery by the one-year mark, and you can expect to be back to many daily activities.
Of course, you’ll have to progress through a standard recovery program en route to achieving these results by the one-year mark. Some other recovery milestones you can expect to work though on your way to the one-year mark include:
- First 4-6 Weeks – You can expect to have the shoulder and arm immobilized in a sling for the first 4-6 weeks after your shoulder replacement procedure.
- 6-12 Weeks – You’ll be able to ditch the sling at this point, but you’ll still have major lifting restrictions. Physical therapy exercises will begin and progress throughout this stage of your recovery.
- 12-24 Weeks – You should have achieved some solid progress by the 3-month mark, and now’s where you’ll really want to dig into your mobility and physical therapy plan. You’ll be able to take on larger tasks, and pushing yourself to expand your range of motion and become stronger during this period is key to restoring as much function as possible in your new shoulder.
- 6-9 Months – You can expect to be cleared for most daily activities within this range, but know that your work isn’t yet complete. Sticking with your physical therapy program can drive home that last 10-20% of recovery, and that can make a world of difference if you hope to return to more physical activities and hobbies. You may be on your own from a PT standpoint by now, but don’t let your care exercises fall by the wayside because nobody is there to hold you accountable.
We want to help you get back to all the activities you enjoy, and we believe we can do that in a year or less after your shoulder replacement operation. Don’t let shoulder discomfort keep you from pursuing your interests. Learn more about your options for shoulder pain treatment by connecting with Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
