Making the strongest recovery after a shoulder injury or surgery won’t just happen by accident. You’re going to have to make some conscious decisions and avoid some potentially problematic pitfalls if you want to keep progressing through different stages of rehab. In today’s blog, we share some tips for avoiding setbacks and keeping your recovery on track after a shoulder injury or surgery.
We want you to restore as much strength and function in your shoulder joint as possible during your recovery, in order to do this, you’ll need to follow some specific steps along the way. And while each recovery program will be unique to the individual, here are some helpful tips for keeping your recovery on track.
Personalized Recommendations From A Professional
A number of shoulder issues present with similar symptoms, so if you don’t know exactly what you’re dealing with, you may not be pursuing the right treatment. Instead of following general advice that you find online, get specific treatment recommendations from a provider who can assess your injuries in person. In the greater Knoxville area, let Dr. Holloway be that provider.
Always Know What You Should Be Doing
Always make sure that you completely understand what is expected of you at different stages of your recovery. You may be told to simply rest and protect the shoulder during the early stages of recovery, but eventually you may be told that in-person and home-based physical therapy exercises are now your best form of treatment. Know what is expected of you as you progress through rehab, and be sure to follow through on these expectations.
Carve Out Time
If you don’t make time to pursue your rehab exercises each day, they can easily fall by the wayside. Set aside some time each day to do your therapy exercises or get in the habit of always performing them at the same time each day. If you can make therapy part of your regular habit, you’re more likely to stick with your program until the end.
Progress Log
Some people find it helpful to start a progress log or a recovery journal to document their experience along the way. Writing about your recovery journey can be helpful in a number of ways:
- It can better illustrate your progress
- Makes for easy symptom tracking
- Provides a linear look at your rehab without having to rely on memory alone
- Helps you identify what’s working and what may need to be adjusted.
- Can serve as a daily reminder to do your exercises or provide added motivation to keep pushing for progress.
Ask Questions
If you have questions or concerns, don’t just keep them to yourself. We want to be a resource for you during your recovery, but you need to let us help in the event you encounter issues or have questions. Never be afraid to ask a question or seek clarification about anything related to your shoulder rehabilitation.
Manage Your Mental Health
Finally, don’t just focus on your physical recovery after a shoulder injury or surgery. Your shoulder limitations have also likely impacted your mental and emotional well-being, so make sure you’re still taking time to address these needs. Connect with family, talk with friends and seek out activities that you enjoy that take your mind off your shoulder recovery. Having healthy mental and emotional health can make it easier for you to continue pursuing activities that help your physical health.
Let Dr. Holloway and his team help keep your shoulder recovery on track so that you can get back to doing all the activities you love once again. For more tips, or to talk to Dr. Holloway about a shoulder issue that you are dealing with, reach out to his office today at (865) 410-7887.
