When to get a shoulder replacement?

Posted by julesolo @julesolo, Apr 20 3:37pm

I am a 78 yo male - active, play squash, pickleball, golf - swim every morning.
Have a ten year old injury to my left (dominant) shoulder that has caused it to become arthritic. I still have all the strength I need to play my sports, but am in constant mild to moderate pain in the shoulder.
Have tried PT to no avail. Am considering a PRP injection, but that is only a temporary fix.
The nuclear option is a replacement, but I am concerned about both the initial and ongoing pain, and recovery time.
I know everyone is different, but for some one who is pretty fit for his age, and able to do any exercises to regain strength that PT prescribe, what is a reasonable expectation for recovery time back to a normal lifestyle?
I know there are no guarantees, but any and all input would be very gratefully received - thank you.

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kahyo | @kahyo | Apr 24 8:49am

Unbelievable. My husband is on his way into the surgery even as I sit here. Reverse shoulder joint replacement.

julesolo | @julesolo | Apr 24 10:31am

In reply to @kahyo "Unbelievable. My husband is on his way into the surgery even as I sit here. Reverse..." + (show)

Let us know how it goes and his progress in time - good luck!

loriesco | @loriesco | Apr 25 10:28am

Only a qualified orthopedic surgeon can help you answer that question! They need to take an MRI. They need to do an x-ray and they need to figure out if scar tissue from your injury is the problem or it’s time for a new shoulder or rotor cuff. I know many people who’ve had the surgery and they go back to their life really quickly and are very happy because they don’t have pain. My pain doesn’t qualify for surgery, but you do want to visit an orthopedic surgeon so they can tell you if there’s something that qualifies down the line for your foundational make up.

kar50 | @kar50 | Apr 28 12:05pm

In reply to @julesolo "Thank you so much for an informative response. Very helpful - my biggest concern is the..." + (show)

That is exactly my reluctance to get shoulder replacement. The long recovery time. I'm looking into PRP and have conferred with the sports medicine doctor who does this procedure through my health plan, although it is private pay. He did caution that the pain during and after the procedure varies considerably from patients, but is often quite painful yet no NSAIDs etc. to be taken before and after. (1 week before and 2 weeks post) The results vary. I'm interested in responses from those who have tried it.

wells53 | @wells53 | Oct 10 1:58pm

In reply to @ddsack "It is hard to generalize, because everyone's surgical experiences, possible complications etc. vary, so will recovery..." + (show)

@ddsack can I ask you your age range, I had one total reverse at 70 and my husband now need one and the work comp Dr. told him he was to old at 73, even though he is employed full time, and works circles around much younger workers, they said there is no treatment but PT and injections and he had an injection, that did nothing.

ddsack | @ddsack | Oct 10 3:10pm

In reply to @wells53 "@ddsack can I ask you your age range, I had one total reverse at 70 and..." + (show)

@wells53

I am now 78, but I had my three replacement surgeries three years in a row, TKR's at ages 72 and 73, and my reverse TSR was at age of 74.
I don't know why 73 would be considered too old if he is in good shape otherwise. If he is in pain and miserable, I would look for a 2nd opinion.

wells53 | @wells53 | Oct 10 7:33pm

In reply to @ddsack "@wells53 I am now 78, but I had my three replacement surgeries three years in a..." + (show)

@ddsack thank you very much.

hsminc | @hsminc | Oct 11 8:37am

I had a reverse shoulder replacement at Mayo in Rochester in 2023. I had no pain after the surgery. The biggest issue for me was not being able to effectively floss my teeth.
I recovered quickly; wore a sling for 3 weeks. I was 80 yrs old at the time. It was all so pain free that I am considering doing the other shoulder, which is seriously arthritic. My only concern is my blood dyscrasia, diagnosed in 2002. Free light chains escalate after my joint replacement surgeries (4 now). I worry about multiple myeloma.

marilyninb | @marilyninb | Oct 11 7:04pm

In reply to @wells53 "@ddsack can I ask you your age range, I had one total reverse at 70 and..." + (show)

@wells53
I a 85 years old and just had shoulder replacement 3 weeks ago. I was basically pain free from the surgery after 10 days and only needed ibuprofin and Tylenol. I start PT in a week.

bweaver2025 | @bweaver2025 | Oct 12 10:55am

63 yo male, I have been bone on bone for over 5 years in my right (dominant) shoulder, and I have had at least 15 cortisone injections since then, that work incredibly well. My pain management doctors advice for shoulders was, and still is, is to keep doing injections til they don't work any more, then have surgury. In the beginning, some injections would last 6-7 months, but now I am having them every 3 months, and a few times as often as 2 months.

I know many ortho doctors won't do this many cortisone injections, but having gone through rotator cuff repair on my non dominant arm after an injury, I'm in no rush to do it again. That pain lasted 2 years...Double what they predicted.