Pain is the most common reason why patients opt to pursue a shoulder replacement procedure. Activities that one were second nature are now moderately or extremely painful, and conservative efforts have failed to provide relief. Shoulder replacement typically leads to fantastic pain relief, but pain relief certainly isn’t the only benefit of a replacement procedure. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the non-pain relief benefits of a shoulder replacement procedure.
The Full Benefits Of Shoulder Replacement
As you progress through your recovery, you’ll likely notice that an improvement in pain is the most obvious benefit, but it’s not the only one. Here are some other benefits patients oftentimes realize after their shoulder replacement and rehabilitation:
- Improved Flexibility – For most patients, pain was restricting their comfortable range of motion. Lifting or twisting their arms and shoulders was next to impossible, but after their operation and recovery, they’ve regained significant movement in their arms. You should be able to perform a number of movements again that were previously too difficult or painful to do prior to your operation.
- Increased Strength – Your shoulders will also be significantly stronger once the shoulder replacement operation is performed. Pain or arthritic degeneration likely compromised much of your functional strength prior to the operation, but surgery and effective rehabilitation can help your shoulders become much stronger than they were prior to surgery.
- Improved Sleep – Many patients also say that their sleep quality improved drastically following their recovery from shoulder surgery. It’s not uncommon for shoulder discomfort to make it harder for patients to fall asleep or stay asleep, but when this discomfort is resolved through surgery, patients find it easier to get restful sleep.
- Getting Back To Activities You Love – As pain subsides, you’ll be able to get back to doing some of the physical activities that you love most. Perhaps pain was making it hard for you to pursue Pickleball or play a round of golf. After your procedure and your rehabilitation routine, many of these activities will be on the table once again.
- Restored Quality Of Life – When you can get back to doing daily activities without pain, like cooking or getting dressed, you may find that your mood and your overall quality of life improves. Don’t live life on the sidelines because of shoulder pain. Get back to living your life to the fullest free from complications caused by shoulder discomfort.
So while pain relief is a big motivating factor behind the decision to pursue shoulder replacement surgery, it certainly isn’t the only benefit you’ll receive. If you are plagued by shoulder pain that isn’t responding to conservative techniques, let us help you achieve all these benefits and more. For more information, or to connect with a specialist about a different shoulder condition, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
