Oftentimes when we lack first-hand experience with something, we seek the wisdom of others who have been in our situation before. We’ve found that this is especially true of patients who are considering having their shoulder replaced. Many of them will tell us that they have talked with a friend, family member or co-worker who had their shoulder replaced, and we love to hear that patients are working to learn more about the replacement operation.
And while not every piece of advice you hear from these people will mirror your experience, we’ve talked with many patients who had their shoulder replaced and asked them what they’d say to patients who are considering the procedure. We share those pieces of advice in today’s blog.
“Prehab your shoulder.”
Many patients think that there’s nothing you can do for your shoulder until after the joint has been replaced, but that’s simply not true. The stronger your shoulder and the supporting structures are prior to your operation, the stronger they will be after your procedure, so don’t just wait back and do nothing until your surgery arrives. Do some prehab strengthening exercises or ask your doctor for some physical therapy exercises to keep the area healthy in the lead up to your replacement procedure.
“Expect pain and discomfort.”
Although the surgery itself is painless, the recovery process will involve some discomfort. This pain won’t be extreme, and your doctor and your care team will explain how to best manage it, but don’t come in expecting discomfort to be minimal. You’re having a major joint replaced, and that takes a toll on your body. Coming in with mismatched expectations in terms of pain or discomfort can cause a patient to become discouraged with their recovery or have them skipping physical therapy appointments because they think protecting the area is best. Know that there will be some discomfort but it will all be worth it in the end, and we know you’ll do great with your recovery.
“Post-Op recovery will take time, but the pay off is worth every second.”
Your recovery program following joint replacement surgery will be measured in months, not days. But if you’ve reached the point where you need to undergo a shoulder replacement procedure, you’ve probably already dealt with months or years of shoulder discomfort. So while you’ll still have some pain and functional limitations during your recovery, you’ll find that instead of symptoms getting worse that you’re starting to see some improvements in your shoulder as time passes. The months may not fly by, but days will turn into weeks and weeks into months, and slowly but surely, you’ll begin to see large improvements in your shoulder health. It won’t happen overnight, but eventually you’ll reach the point of maximum recovery, and you’ll be glad that you put in the work to get there.
“Your post-op protocols are important.”
Finally, many patients note the importance of following the post-op protocols that they are given by their physician. Whether that means correctly using a piece of protective equipment like a sling or a shoulder harness or carefully cleaning the wound sites to prevent an infection, your work isn’t done once you’re off the operating table. All the advice we give our patients has a purpose, and if you ignore or neglect your post-op protocols, you may experience a minor or major setback with your new shoulder, and nobody wants that.
If you keep these pieces of advice in mind and trust your shoulder operation to a skilled specialist like Dr. Holloway, we’re confident that you’ll be in a good place to have a successful shoulder replacement. For more information, or for help with a different shoulder condition, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
