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Total shoulder replacement one month later
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Aug 7, 2023 | Replies (25)Comment receiving replies
Update on my recovery from TSR.
It has now been 11 weeks since surgery. I feel fine but have two issues. Although I have been going the PT for 10 weeks, I have limited range of motion lifting my arm straight up. When I visited with the surgeon at six weeks after surgery he said that I was still stiff and needed to work on that with the physical therapist. I have been doing my exercises at home religiously. The therapist measured my range of motion up (flexion) before therapy and it was 110. After therapy it was 140. (180 straight up is normal). Im guessing that my flexion before surgery was in the 150 to 160 range. She said that she thought that is was a strength issue and added some new home exercises. An example of the lack of flexion is I have great difficulty reaching the garage door button on the bottom of the rear view mirror in my car with my right surgically repaired dominant arm.
My other issue has been sleeping on my surgical side. I am awakened after sleeping on that side by the discomfort of the shoulder.
I am scheduled to visit with the surgeon in 10 days and will ask him if my lack of flexion is to be expected three months after surgery. I do not want to have to consider a revision.
Can anyone else on the site share their experience with this issue?
Replies to "Update on my recovery from TSR. It has now been 11 weeks since surgery. I feel..."
@tfarizona - I checked my old online mychart notes, and at my final PT session, I had active flexion at 135, and passive at 140, so similar to yours. In the last weeks of PT he had me doing a lot of wall slides with a folded towel, straight up as far as I could stretch, and both diagonal directions. I really felt that this exercise helped me more than anything because you have a solid surface to brace against to keep pushing just a little higher. I could feel a little gain every day. I kept doing these at home for the next few weeks until my four month check up with my surgeon. At that time, his notes say my forward flexion was 170. I am really happy with my right arm now. I think it is just about as good as the left.
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Good evening @tfarizona. Well, I must admit, I am excited about your recovery progress. At least it far surpasses min. I do want to start with a couple of questions. Was this surgery a reverse TSR? Mine was a reverse that happened as the result of a fall down my mountain. I was finally approved for the TSR after two years of PT, and two surgical attempts including a cadaver graft. That was in 2011. While I have no real discomfort, I cannot get to full flexion and have difficulty eating an ice cream cone. Very awkward and looks freaky.
By the way.....did you know that they can now make the reverse "parts" from a 3-D model of your shoulder. One of my problems is that my reverse parts are too large for the space that was available. They also creak and groan when I put on a sweatshirt or a winter jacket. My MFR therapist does work on both shoulders when the discomfort increases.
If I do need reverse surgery on the other shoulder I think I will ask for a "fitting". So...I am not a medical professional but I don't know about strength being the issue. In my case, I think it is about getting a good fit.
Please let me know about your progress and I would like to know what your surgeon says in 10 days. Would it be possible to remember me asking for an update? Thanks.
May you be safe, protected and free from inner and outer harm.
Chris