Heyjoe415.....hi there. So let me see if I can explain the need for reverse shoulder replacement.
1. I feel down a mountain, breaking my elbow in three places and dislocating my right shoulder. The first surgery was an attempt to repair the rotator cuff. It failed. My surgeon called it "the Grand Canyon of holes".

2, The second attempt was a cadaver surgery and it didn't even get off the ground. There was just too much damage to the connective tissues in and around the shoulder connection. And so....the battle with my insurance company began to approve a reverse. There wasn't enough reparable tissue to support shoulder movement.

3. I was also in pain 24/7. So....we finally got the O.K.from the insurance company and there was actually a celebration going on in my surgical room as my surgeon and his team had been hoping this would be the outcome. This surgery was some time ago and the "reverse" had just taken off across the country after its development in France.

4. Both my surgeon and my anesthesiologist came to my room that evening and stayed to make sure I was comfortable and able to sleep. I even got a private room so everyone could come and party without making too much noise. It was truly a celebration after a long two-year wait.

5. My recovery went well and I live with gratitude every day.

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

My understanding is that a reverse is done when the rotator cuff muscles are too weak or damaged to heal in a way that would bring back good shoulder function.
Your surgeon will find this out through CT and MRI scans to evaluate what needs to be done before well before surgery.

My surgeon said my rotator cuff was borderline, frayed, and gave me the choice of surgeries, but suggested the reverse because he thought I would eventually need the reverse anyway if my rotator cuff continued to deteriorate. Since I have no interest in going through surgery twice, I opted for the reverse procedure.

The main difference in a reverse, will be that it will be physically impossible to reach very high behind your back. I can get my hand just barely up to my waist in back with some effort and discomfort. All other directions are no problem.

I don't even think about the shoulder on a normal day, there is no discomfort or pain. Tend to be faster to heal from a reverse procedure, because the front rotator cuff muscles are gone, don't have to wait for them to heal. You can start PT a couple of weeks earlier.