Shoulder Replacement Surgery: Range of motion?

'walking with a group of ladies' is that what is left after shoulder replacement?! Sounds ripe with possibilities when combined with Bushmill Irish wiskey. Afterall, it was said that golf is a 'good walk spoiled.'
Lower extremities in great condition, played soccer for many years.
Best,
Gene

Oh, let's see. You can do yoga (carefully,) ride horses, pull weeds, feed chipmunks, arrange flowers, and become a mentor because you care and have just a touch of humor. Happy 4th.
Chris

@gene924 I have not yet scheduled my TSR, though will see my surgeon in about 3 weeks for a decision. I tend to be optimistic about recovery and eventual range of motion, since both my knee replacements went well. I know the shoulder joint is different, and for some a reverse procedure more limiting. But I do believe that strong motivation to get back your mobility and above all getting a good physical therapist and not skimping on faithfully doing all the additional home exercises required even beyond the weeks of PT, gives you the best chances of returning to a near normal. I think reading about other people's problems here before surgery is important in getting a well rounded view of all possibilities. However, I suspect that postings are skewed towards the problems, because most of the people with successful surgeries go on with their lives and never post the good results anywhere.
In doing a brief search, I found this 2019 British journal article you may want to read in full, entitled "ACTIVITY LIMITATIONS AFTER SHOULDER ARTHROPLASTY: BE ALL YOU CAN BE" https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/abs/10.1302/1358-992X.2019.8.022 that states that "As expected, the return to these sports is less for reverse shoulder arthroplasty patients vs. anatomic shoulder arthroplasty patients. In a systematic review, more than 90% of anatomic shoulder replacement patients returned to sport, while 75% of reverse shoulder arthroplasty patients returned to some sporting activity."
I realize not everyone gets good results, but I have to remain optimistic!

I have not had a shoulder replacement, but my body has a patchwork of scars from other orthopedic surgeries. Being "of a certain age" MANY friends and family members also sport these battle scars.
In my experience, the primary differences in recovery, barring any unforeseen surgical complication, are POSITIVE ATTITUDE and willingness to really do the PT as much and as long as is necessary to achieve your desired result.
From reading your posts, you have this covered! You should do great (PS That said, I wasn't abled to play hard court volleyball after hip replacement due to the jumping. But I do everything else!)
Good luck.
Sue

I had total reverse shoulder replacement after an unsuccessful lower trapezius tendon transfer last fall. I was hoping to get back on the tennis court. Today I'm pretty much pain free, have played some tennis, have done PT faithfully, and lift 45 pound suitcases around airports and hotels. I will get back to tennis, having a right hand a couple of inches longer will make it easier to cover the alley 🙂 . My surgeon's approach was if you can do it before the surgery you hopefully will be able to do it after the surgery. The downside was lack of strength in my right arm after almost a year of non use. As a result, I'm working with a trainer, twice a week, on balance and strength training. It is really helping. I have almost full range of motion....except in the small of my back....but even that is better. If you have the surgery, the only advice I'd give is make SURE you get a nerve block catheter for the pain. It made my recovery much easier and I only took one or two heavy pain killers in my whole recovery. I'm 68, walk daily, and lead an active life..... you can too :-).....

Hi there @ltsally, Wonderful to see your post and learn how you are doing. I think about you often and how determined you are to return to the tennis court and your pre-shoulder surgery life. Would you please explain a nerve block catheter to me? I am getting ready for another TKR and the surgeon mentioned a nerve block so that I can have less pain and go home the same day. Have you heard of that?

Enjoy the 4th.
Chris

Not sure Chris how they'd do a nerve block for knee replacement, but for shoulder surgery...they insert a needle attached to a small IV into your nerves around your shoulder. My needle and IV was inserted about 6 inches into my neck and shoulder until it connected with a nerve. Then I wore a plastic ball kinda thing around my neck that I could adjust how much of the block went into my nerves. If I was in a lot of pain, I could up the dose... I dialed down the dose and made the block last for 6 days post surgery. Taking it out you just have someone slowly pull it out. Because of this literally maybe 2 pain pills for the entire recovery. My only caveat is to make sure the anesthetist uses lots of pain killer when they insert the catheter. Make sense????

Also... with both the lower trapezius tendon transfer and the total reverse shoulder replacement... I went home the same day.

Oh my goodness.....thank you. I think that is what the surgeon was talking about. We'll see how much more I can learn. I should have known you would dial it down and make it last. Actually, I am kind of chuckling. That is what I have been told. Home the same day and running around like crazy in three days. Of course, Jay was clap happy when they said I could drive in three weeks. He has been driving me everywhere for some time now. I always insist on a personal chat with the anesthesiologist. When I had my reverse shoulder, the anesthesia gentleman came and sat with me after the surgery to make sure he was going to get a good grade.

I will let you know. Thanks so much for staying with Connect and helping others, including me.

May you find joy today.
Chris

@ltsally - so you were sent home with the nerve block iv in place? I'm a little leery of having to take care of that myself. I'll have to discuss this with my surgeon when I see him next. I had my total knee replacements done one each in the September's of the last two years. I don't know what kind of pain mitigation technique he used (will ask) but I went home the next day with each surgery. I did not have any overwhelming pains, just a feeling of a large dull ache. I was sent home with Oxycodone and Tramadol, but after taking a couple at home after the first surgery, did not use them because they made me nauseous and spaced out, and I didn't think they helped with what type of dull pain I did have. I just used nsaids, some were prescription, some over the counter for the ache and swelling , and lots of icing and elevation. My PT guy said most people don't elevate high enough, the ideal is to get the knee at or above heart level, so if you are on a recliner, you need to put several extra cushions under your foot to get high enough. With a shoulder of course, this should not be a problem. I am hoping my surgeon can use the same pain control techniques as worked on my knees, but maybe muscles and nerves do not always respond the same in another area of the body.