Importance of Post-Total Shoulder Replacement Surgery Exercises

Thousands of Americans undergo total shoulder joint replacement surgery annually, which is an option given to patients who suffer from shoulder dysfunction. This is usually due to osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Other treatments are considered first before opting for total shoulder replacement surgery, however when these options cannot provide sustained relief, this is the best option to relieve you from shoulder pain.

After your total shoulder replacement operation, it is vital to perform certain exercises to help strengthen your shoulder and arm and encourage recovery. Orthopedic surgeons usually advise to follow these exercises as they aide in a fast recovery and ease the post-surgery discomfort within a short period of time allowing for easy movement of shoulder.

The following exercises may be recommended by your physiotherapist and should be performed as instructed for easy movement of the shoulder.

Elbow Range of Motion

Before starting this exercise, remove your sling. With your arm bent at a 90-degree angle, bend and straighten your arm as though brushing something off the front of you. This exercise should be repeated 30 times, three times a day. This exercise will help avoid stiffness in your elbow after being in a sling for long periods of time. This also reduces post surgery shoulder pain.

Grip Strengthening

Begin this exercise by making a tight fist or by gripping a rubber ball. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat this exercise 30 times, three times a day. This exercise works your hand and helps prevent blood clots.

Scapula Retraction

Begin this exercise by standing straight. Pinch your shoulder blades together and hold them for 10 seconds. Then relax and repeat the exercise again. Repeat this motion 30 times, three times a day. This exercise helps strengthen muscles around your shoulder blade and allows your shoulder to move more effectively with much ease.

Supported Arm Pendulum

Start this exercise by bending over at your waist. Support yourself by placing your hand, on the side that did not undergo surgery, on a table or chair. With the help of your other arm, make small clockwise and counterclockwise circles. Repeat this exercise 30 times, three times a day.

External Rotation

Begin this exercise by bending the arm, on the side of the recovering shoulder, at a 90-degree angle. Keeping your elbow against your body, use your other hand to gently rotate your forearm outward until your arm is pointing in front of you. Repeat this exercise 30 times, 3 times a day.

This is just for educational purposes and this information should not be taken as your doctor’s advice. The exercises vary from patient to patient and can be best provided by an orthopedic surgeon. For further information visit: http://www.zehrcenter.com.

Total Shoulder Replacement – Recovery and Rehab Program

After undergoing Total Shoulder Replacement surgery, the degree of its success is a well-defined and properly guided recovery program. This program aids in a fast recovery and in getting back to your normal routine within a short period of time.

A total shoulder replacement operation helps a patient recover from arthritis pain and suffering and to resume many of his/her pre-operative activities. The surgery relieves the patient from pain but functional improvement varies from patient to patient as it depends on numerous factors. An important part of recovery requires the patient’s commitment to the surgeon’s recovery program and post surgical rehab plan. This may also include restricting certain activities, performing the prescribed exercises, and if needed, attending physical therapy sessions on a regular basis. Each plan takes the patient’s age and health into consideration; therefore, it is unlikely that one patient’s plan will be identical to another.

On completion of the surgery, the patient will spend some time in a post-op recovery room, before the patient will be moved to their room. If a nerve block, which is done to control post operative pain, is placed before the operation, upon awakening, the patient will notice that the arm on which the surgery is performed is numb and that the wrist and fingers may not move normally for up to 24 hours.

Many surgeons order an icing machine for placement on the shoulder, while still in recovery room. This helps in reducing swelling and pain due to total shoulder replacement surgery. Usually, the patient is instructed to continue with the ice packs even after discharge. Other key factors of a shoulder replacement recovery include:

1. When the patient regains movement in the hand, it’s good to begin exercising as soon as possible. This normally includes making a fist in the hand on the arm on which surgery was performed. The patient will likely be instructed to hold the fist for five seconds before releasing and to repeat the action frequently. This helps keep the blood in that arm circulating and can aide in the reduction of bruising.
2. Patients are given a sling to wear for four to six weeks following surgery. It’s necessary to be worn when in public places or when the patient is mobile such as climbing stairs. The sling can be relaxed only during sedentary activities such as watching television or sitting in a courtyard. Patients can return to work within the first 3-4 weeks and those with a more strenuous profession may require additional time.
3. When the patients are in the hospital for two days following the surgery, during this time, usually a physical therapist will visit once or twice a day. The physician usually instructs a patient to begin exercises as early as the day following total shoulder replacement. These exercises are designed to strengthen the arm as well as keep it flexible. These exercises also depend on the patient’s age, physical activity, and health; however they are not load-bearing movements.

Total shoulder replacement surgery can be a highly effective procedure for resolving pain in the shoulder and improving functionality allowing the return to normal activities including low impact sports. Patients who have received treatment from the right orthopedic surgeon and follow their physical therapy plans usually reap the highest benefit from total shoulder replacement surgery.