Concerns after Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement

I’m not at all this will be of help to but it helped me in so many ways for rotation.
It is an exercise where you use your arm to make a hitchhiker sign.
I could not do it at all without help from my other hand, good shoulder side.
I would rest my arm on the dining room table and perform this exercise with the help of my hand to push the arm to through out a hitchhiker thumb sign.
I now am able to several motions I couldn’t do before.
My PT. never had me perform this exercise or told me about it. I came across it on the internet when searching for answers to my limited rotations for shoulder/ arm.
Try it.
By the way I had a RTSA surgery. Several tears in my rotator cuff and extreme osteoarthritis.

That’s for the suggestion. That motion works ok but I still can’t reach the middle of the back of my head. It’s been 18 months and my deltoids just have not come back. My surgery was because my shoulder was broken in 3 pieces and rotator cuff was torn. I’m glad this worked for you and I will keep on keeping on.

Thanks to all who shared their experiences. I’m a 69 yr old active female(gym rat, weightlifter, backpacker). I have both arthritis and a high grade rotator cuff tear in my left shoulder. This is probably due to wear and tear. My daily activities as well as upper body strength training are affected. This is emotionally very upsetting.
I’ve been advised to do reverse shoulder replacement, but have refused due to gut feeling that it’s a bad idea.
Presently doing pt, but so far not confident that this will help.
After doing some internet research and reading your stories, I’m now completely convinced I will not be doing the reverse surgery.
I’ll fight through it on my own as long as I can, then look at alternative medicine. Does anyone have experience with the latter? Prp? Stem cells? Whatever?
Again, I’m sorry for what you all are going through but just know that your sharing helped me.
PS: I arrived at pre-op in 2017 thinking I was having mitral valve repair, only to find they planned a replacement!!!! Talk about poor communication! I totally understand anger.

Hi there. I just found this forum for your exact reason. I’m 3 months post op from total reverse surgery (worn down socket from osteoarthritis and as my doctor told my husband after surgery, an obliviated rotator cuff ie, nothing left of it!) and I still can’t do external rotation. It is getting better but my PT said that with that kind of surgery, I have to build up my triceps and deltoids, which is extremely hard since they’ve never had to be used that way. The good news is the external rotation is getting better, though very slowly, so there is hope for you. At night and during the day I take about 10 minutes and go through a range of motions which I think is helping. That hitchhiker exercise someone mentioned is a really good one. When I looked at your video I saw that was exactly how I looked! The other problem I have is building up strength in that shoulder but, again, it’s the same muscles that have to be built up. I had my non dominate shoulder done first and then I was supposed to have my dominant one done in the fall, but I think I’m going to wait until the first one is much stronger because I already know the second one has to be a reverse also. I’m so sorry you had to go through the reverse when your rotator cuff was still viable. I’ve never heard that being done before so I would definitely demand an answer on why they did it on you. I hope things are getting better and when you can, let me know how you’re doing. Take care!

I am an active 66.9 year old woman that had a TSR on my right shoulder (dominant) on February 24, 2025. I had a traumatic fall from a tilt trailer on April 16th. (I know - I shouldn’t have been on the trailer!)
I have ruptured biceps tendon, subscapularis failure and likely supraspinatus tear (rotator cuff).
I am scheduled for revision of total shoulder arthroplasty, including allograft when performed; humeral and glenoid component on July 18th.
(I had already been told that I need to have the left shoulder replaced also - again due to arthritis.)
I’m a little nervous about this procedure but the PT hasn’t helped and the pain is overwhelming at times and sleep is miserable.
Has anyone been through this and if so, how did it go?
Any recommendations for questions when I meet with the surgeon for pre-op visit on June 27th. I have already asked if he has performed this surgery and he has. He said the surgeries he has done like this have been successful.
Any advice is welcome!

Hi, I tore my rotator cuffs and had them surgically repaired and had a biceps tendon release 6 years ago--after recovery of about 6 months, I had rom and strength, and no pain. Recently, I experienced severe shoulder and upper arm pain. Original OS had retired, so I saw a different OS who ordered an MRI asap, which showed the new tears. I did a pred pack for relief of inflammation while waiting for the results. He said the rotator cuffs were not repairable and advised that a reverse shoulder replacement (which he described as major surgery) is most likely in my future. He gave me an injection of triamcinolone to relieve the pain and prescribed muscle relaxants so I could sleep (I only needed the latter for 3 nights). In the meantime, however, he assigned me the Reading Shoulder Unit exercises to do daily to train the deltoid to do the work of the rotator cuffs. http://www.readingshoulderunit.com Anterior Deltoid Exercises
He said that doing these exercises should allow me at least several years before considering a replacement; he also said that he advises patients to do these before scheduling any shoulder replacements of this nature. These exercises (and stretches) really help not only with strengthening the deltoid, but also with restoring rom, and with relieving pain. I have been doing them for 2 months; he has scheduled a 6-month followup. Slow going at first, but the last few weeks, the shoulder has improved dramatically. I have the option for another injection for pain at 3 months, but am not sure if I will need it! I take brand name Celebrex 200mg twice a day for arthritis (generics didn't work so I got a waiver from my insurance for the brand name, which works within 15 minutes, so it is worth the higher copay) and no other pain medications. I am doing these exercises with both arms to strengthen the deltoids in the non-dominant arm as well.

Wow, your dr sounds great. I like that he gave you physical therapy first before pushing you into replacement surgery. Hopefully, this will buy you some time and maybe you won’t have to have surgery.
What he said about strengthening the deltoids lines up with what my PT told me.
I too have a cuff tear plus arthritis, but my dr pushed the reverse shoulder surgery first. He only referred me to pt after I refused the surgery.
I too have had good results from the pt and am regaining my strength in the gym.
Best of luck to you.

PS:
I also like that your dr advises pt BEFORE surgery. Strengthening other muscles probably puts people in better shape to recover.

Right RTSR in 10/2020 seemed to be doing ok. There had been 4 bicep repair, rotator cuff repairs and AC joint surgeries. In June of ‘23 head on collision at 60mph. Though I had multiple injuries and continued issues, my right humerus was broken in two (it was never set surgically). Shoulder surgeon noted the joint was dislocated but there wasn’t really anything she could do. The joint itself and the humerus are causing significant pain and discomfort. I’ve taken a few falls that probably doesn’t help but going back to the surgeon for one last hope

Hi @bobt8,

I moved your discussion into another discussion titled:
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/concerns-after-reverse-total-shoulder-replacement/

Here, I wanted to introduce you to members @myracorbo, @nonnahelen, @kudzu, @maritn1313, @sissyshoulder and @kudzu who also have discussed reverse shoulder replacements and some ongoing issues.
"Concerns after Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement"

@bobt8, are you visiting the same surgeon who said there wasn't anything that could be done in hopes in a new viewpoint, or are you seeking a second opinion?