Need total reverse shoulder replacement surgery. Has anyone had this.

72 yo male. I had my right shoulder replaced with the reverse method. From my reading it’s stronger and sometimes the only option if your shoulder is bad. I had two rotator cuff surgeries on it prior.

For me the recovery was great but took longer than I wanted, but doesn’t everything? Had it done late June 2025 and was water fighting with my grands in Kauai in October.
It’s kind of weird my are doesn’t go straight up anymore- mostly notice it when putting on deodorant. Have some issues getting a shirt on but I think it’s a learning thing.

You lose some ability to scratch your back too.

If it’s what they say you need you really don’t have much choice. Just get it done.

Hi @bradmugs
Yes, I had a reverse shoulder arthroplasty after a hiking accident caused my left shoulder to become dislocated, and a small fracture of the humerus. The fracture would not permit joint to be put back in place, in the ER I went to at first. So, took an ambulance to the hospital.

Happened in early July 2025, 76 year old male, and incredibly, had the surgery done the SAME DAY. Dislocated shoulder hurt before surgery, they gave me a nerve block just before surgery started, and that was really the end of any pain problem for me.

The surgeon was clearly very experienced. The only pain meds I ever felt I needed after surgery was extra strength Tylenol, and only for two nights. I thought, maybe it will hurt after the nerve block wears out? Not really. So the Tylenol was more as a precaution than for any serious pain relief.

Hospital stay was total of two days, mostly because the anesthetic caused me a temporary urinary issue. The shoulder part of the hospital stay was quite uneventful. Could have reduced the hospital stay to just one day, I think, were it not for the urinary problem.

The recovery for me was easy enough. Six weeks in a sling, seven weeks of physical therapy twice a week (1 hour each session), which I began 2 weeks after the surgery. Plus exercises at home. The exercises at home are really the main event here. Do those religiously every day, even after the PT sessions end, and you'll see rapid improvement. They do not take long. I'd say, after the formal PT session period ends, they take me less than one hour each day. Easy peasy. No special equipment, other than a 3 lb hand-held weight and a piece of twine.

Range of motion will likely never be total, but honestly, for me, I was never into playing basketball anyway. The shoulder feels great, I have a new respect for trying NOT TO FALL, for looking where I walk, and life goes on.

If you need this surgery, I'd not put it off.

Hi, I had reverse shoulder replacement last July. The recovery is 6 mos of PT, First 2 mos were the hardest. But now my rt shoulder is back to feeling like it never had issues! I’m very pleased with it, should’ve done it 2-3 years ago. My left shoulder needs a replacement but not having the surgery at this time. I’m 85 years old!