Recovery from reverse shoulder replacement

Posted by jprust @jprust, Oct 18, 2023

What are others experiencing after a revere shoulder replacement?
I am 3 weeks post op today from the surgery. I had one Physical Therapy session with only passive range of motion activities. I was cleared for driving as soon as I was not taking pain medicine. I quit hydrocodone 5 days after surgery. My sling was never an immobilizer like I had after rotator cuff surgery. It is just a cloth holder to keep my arm close to my body and take the weight off my shoulder.
I am doing pendulum and swaying exercises 5+ times a day and bending my elbow. I start more active range of motion exercises next week.
I wanted to write this to give people encouragement if you are going to have this surgery. I needed a little help the first few days. I cannot lift anything that requires two arms, so heavy pans, etc. I have been showering, dressing myself, washing my hair, cooking, driving since 5 days post op. I am 74 years old.
One thing that might have helped my recovery. I went to physical therapy for 6 weeks before surgery to strengthen both shoulders.
Here’s hoping that all of us have successful outcomes and restore our function.

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Profile picture for ddsack @ddsack

I am a 77 year old female, my reverse TSR was about four years ago. My vertical reach and arm mobility were back to normal by about the 4th month. I do a lot of gardening, dragging long hoses , stock panel support sections, lifting heavy pots and water buckets. My arm feels normal and I am not even aware of the reverse prosthesis. I have to consciously stop myself and use my "good" left arm for picking up heavier buckets. In post-surgery PT, I was put on various weight lifting machines to help with arm strength towards end of my term. My surgeon said it's the way you lift, not the weight itself that is important, (within reason, of course.) You need to keep your elbow bent, so that your muscles take and carry the weight as they normally should, you don't want a straight downward drag that only pulls on the shoulder joint. I don't think of myself self as having any permanent restrictions other than common sense. Two years ago, I overdid it before leaving for vacation and had acute shoulder pain on certain movements for several weeks. But by the time I got in for an appointment, it had resolved itself, so we decided it was just bursitis and nothing to do with the TSR. Have had no problems since. My reason for having the surgery initially was constant arthritic pain that was affecting me daily, and inability to raise my hand to my head, or lift anything heavier than a coffee cup. I am so pleased with my results and have no regrets.

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HD anyone noticed the replaced side is smaller than it was and compared to other side way smaller

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Profile picture for kobesnowy @kobesnowy

HD anyone noticed the replaced side is smaller than it was and compared to other side way smaller

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I wear sleeveless or strappy tops and you can't tell much shoulder difference unless you are looking for it. There is a slight depression in front, where the frontal rotator cuff muscles are gone and a thin scar, but the rest of the shoulder is close to the same size.
I have had good arm strength and muscle due to daily work, so did not have much trouble returning my shoulder to full functionality after the rTSR. Since the frontal rotator cuff is removed, you do have to work with PT to build up the remaining muscles to compensate and take over some of the rotator motions. Certain movements won't feel as efficient.

I can believe that if post surgery is painful and the patient avoids or does minimal exercises, the muscles can shrink from dis-use and the whole arm appears smaller. Perhaps there is skill of the surgeon involved also in working with the remaining muscles and tissue.

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I am currently 10 weeks postop Rev TSR and biceps tear repair...recovery going great..was in Abductor sling 6 weeks post op except for passive ROM exercises...doing active PT now...have a 5 lb restriction ...able to lift arm to wash hair ...reach into cabinets...pull on slacks....improvement seen daily...no pain at all...use ice therapy after PT...great choice after both tear and osteoarthritis of shoulder joint. Good luck in healing!!

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Profile picture for enelra03 @enelra03

I am currently 10 weeks postop Rev TSR and biceps tear repair...recovery going great..was in Abductor sling 6 weeks post op except for passive ROM exercises...doing active PT now...have a 5 lb restriction ...able to lift arm to wash hair ...reach into cabinets...pull on slacks....improvement seen daily...no pain at all...use ice therapy after PT...great choice after both tear and osteoarthritis of shoulder joint. Good luck in healing!!

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Thanks! Glad you’re doing well. Is that 5 lb restriction permanent or just while you’re healing?

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Just while strengthening the muscles!

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Profile picture for enelra03 @enelra03

Just while strengthening the muscles!

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Will you be back to your former strength when you heal? Or is it hard to tell?

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I had a reverse total shoulder replacement done on left side last October. With physical therapy for 8 weeks my range of motion & pain level is 95% better. I was so encouraged by the way I healed that I recently had the other side done-also a reverse replacement. I am currently in physical therapy twice a week & it's going well. So it was 7 months between the two. Am glad I had it done & realize the pain & limited motion i had endured. Same Dr, same therapists. I wanted to make sure the outcome would be awesome!! Best of luck to you!!

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I had strengthening exercises under physio supervision for 18 months before reverse shoulder replacement but four months after RSR I am still in worse pain and function then before my surgery - the surgeon will not advise me and I am struggling with independent research to work out how to fix this. The pain is worse in biceps but the muscle itself is not bulging and I think the tendon is problematic. It had been flicking over the implant when I first started exercises. A complication, that I was overdue for cervical spine pulsed radio frequency treatment, has ruled out that issue now since 5 August.

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It is good for you I'm glad.
Unfortunately there is much variability in how much has to be done in a total RSR. I am 69 years old and had the RSR in May 2025. I have been searching for reasons and strategies to adopt in my own poor recovery. I can say the following. I "trained" for this for 18 months, building up muscles, ROM and fitness with physio supervised exercises. Combined injuries and surgery, three of the four rotator cuff muscles are now defunct, leaving just subscapularis. Deltoids are to take their place functionally. However I have been through 4 months of one-size-fits-all guidance and am left with worse pain and far less functionality than before surgery. After changing my physio, a rest from all rehab exercises for 2 weeks and professional strapping on the deltoids and compression on the whole arm, I am just now recommencing some gentle rehab. I need to have the other shoulder done, but I do not yet know when my first one will be good enough to manage on its own or even if more surgery will be needed.

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Profile picture for debhunter @debhunter

I had strengthening exercises under physio supervision for 18 months before reverse shoulder replacement but four months after RSR I am still in worse pain and function then before my surgery - the surgeon will not advise me and I am struggling with independent research to work out how to fix this. The pain is worse in biceps but the muscle itself is not bulging and I think the tendon is problematic. It had been flicking over the implant when I first started exercises. A complication, that I was overdue for cervical spine pulsed radio frequency treatment, has ruled out that issue now since 5 August.

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I have the bicep problem and around my neck area that just won’t go away

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