Have you already decided and done thorough research for your shoulder replacement surgery? To resolve your shoulder pain and other issues, you must have been comparing the differences found in total vs. reverse shoulder replacement.
Now, if you’re decided on getting a reverse total shoulder replacement, it’s highly recommended that you take all the precautions before, during, and after your surgery.
After all, the right reverse total shoulder replacement precautions ensure that you’re well-prepared for the procedure. These precautions also make sure that you don’t wear out your operated arm after your surgery.
Learn more about the precautions below, and be sure to contact Mid-County Physical Therapy to tell us how we can help you with rehabilitation if you’ve recently had a shoulder replacement.
What to Know About Reverse Total Shoulder Replacements
So, what is there to know about a total vs. reverse shoulder replacement?
Unlike a standard total shoulder replacement, a reverse total shoulder replacement uses a metal ball implant to replace where the socket was before. It also uses a plastic socket that is placed where the ball was initially located. This procedure lets an individual utilize their arm again without the aid of their rotator cuff muscles. In turn, the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles end up as the arm’s primary mobilizer.
Patients qualified for this procedure include those with a non-functional arm experiencing constant shoulder arthritis. This shoulder replacement is also suitable for those suffering from a proximal humerus fracture that can’t be resolved with an open reduction and internal fixation procedure. If you’re deemed a qualified patient for this procedure, here are the necessary precautions you need to take below.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement Precautions Before Surgery
Prior to your surgical procedure, you will have to do some required imaging tests. These tests include an x-ray, CT scan, and MRI. These are all necessary so that your providers obtain more details from your bones and soft tissue in further depth.
Furthermore, your doctor will also ask you about the medication you consume. Be sure to tell them all medicines you take, such as over-the-counter prescription medicine, vitamins, supplements, or herbal medicine. Your doctor might tell you to stop consuming any of these medications prior to your surgical procedure.
Moreover, you will also be refrained from eating or drinking after midnight the night prior to your total shoulder replacement. Depending on your situation, you might also be asked to take other precautions before your surgery as needed.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement Precautions During Surgery
Make sure to wear loosely fitted clothes and a button-up top during your admission to the hospital. Your admission to the hospital will likely take place the same day your surgical procedure will be held. After getting to the hospital, you will be admitted to the preoperative preparation room.
From there, you will meet your anesthesiologist, who will walk you through the anesthesia involved in your procedure. In addition, you will also meet your assigned surgeon, who will walk you through the details of your reverse total shoulder replacement.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement Precautions After Surgery
Once you’re done with your surgery, you will now have to do the necessary reverse total shoulder replacement precautions. For instance, you may have to stay for two to three more days after your surgery. And upon leaving the hospital, you will be advised to wear a sling on your operated arm.
In addition, you will undergo post-op rehabilitation after your surgery. Doing this is vital in strengthening and making your arm flexible. Be sure that you do the necessary preparations for your physical therapy visit to ensure optimal recovery results.
You should be able to go back to normal eating, dressing, and doing your day-to-day tasks a week following your surgical procedure. But by then, you will be restricted from lifting a particular weight amount during your initial weeks of recovery.
Your doctor should advise you when you can go back to your job and do other activities. But on average, you should expect to fully recover four months after your reverse total shoulder replacement surgery. And six months after your procedure, you should be able to drive again.
However, you will still have to face some lifetime restrictions after this procedure. For instance, your healthcare provider will restrict you from repeatedly lifting items weighing more than twenty-five pounds. In addition, you might also be refrained from doing push-ups, pull-ups, and other activities that can significantly add stress and wear out your shoulder replacement.
Contact Mid-County Physical Therapy Now to Learn More
If you want to know more about post-op rehabilitation for reverse total shoulder replacements, you can always reach out to Mid-County Physical Therapy. By scheduling an appointment with Mid-County Physical Therapy, you can receive the necessary physical therapy and rehabilitation for your speedy recovery.
Contact us today to learn about how we design physical therapy plans just for you, especially after serious surgeries such as shoulder replacements.