Shoulder Replacement

[badgerboy7]

Having just gone through a total shoulder replacement procedure, I'm looking for people that have went through the experience that might be able to supply me with info as to your getting back to a golfing experience. I'm not worried about fishing, as there is much less range of motion involved in that. Right now my arm pretty much feels like a noodle along for the ride. How long can I expect before I could be swinging a club again? Six weeks in a sling seems like an eternity before you can start any significant range of motion, and arm strengthening. Was it a positive experience and outcome for you? Thanks in advance for your time.

[Cover Dog]

I had a total reverse shoulder replacement in Oct. 2019. My Dr. Rubin Gobezie (has many videos on YouTube) does more reverse replacements then anyone in the country. He does 16-24 a week in his own hospital in a Cleve. Ohio suburb. It has 8 OR’s and 24 private rooms. He also has many patents on parts he uses in the operation.

I started physical therapy about 3 or 4 weeks out, and continued about 8 weeks (twice a week). I go back next Thursday for X-rays on my other shoulder that will be done in the next couple of months. You didn’t say if you had a reverse replacement but my arm I never felt like a noodle. The operation I had eliminated the rotator cult muscle and I now use my deltoid muscle in place.

I had to stay overnight since it I was on Medicare and it was a new hospital. My next operation will be as an out patient. Come in the morning sleep in my bed that night.

I don’t golf but was told if I did I could be golfing in 10-12 weeks. I do shoot Skeet/Sporting Clays and after 4 months it was OK to shoot.

[badgerboy7]

It wasn't the reverse procedure as my rotator was ok. Sounds like yours went well, and was successful in the long run. That's good to hear.

[Cover Dog]

Originally Posted by badgerboy7

It wasn't the reverse procedure as my rotator was ok. Sounds like yours went well, and was successful in the long run. That's good to hear.

Yes the replacement was a piece of cake compared to my rotator cuff repair. I’m sure you will do fine.

[doubleheader]

Hey Badger, wishing you a speedy recovery. I have the same operation scheduled in 2 weeks.


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[Bigtaproot]

The old lady and I wish you a speedy recovery

[kliph]

I had reverse shoulder replacement June 25. Still doing physical therapy.
Much pain in my shoulder. See the Doc Monday.

[badgerboy7]

Originally Posted by kliph

I had reverse shoulder replacement June 25. Still doing physical therapy.
Much pain in my shoulder. See the Doc Monday.

Sorry to hear that, hopefully the doctor can get that corrected. At this stage to have that pain doesn't seem normal. At 2 weeks I was pretty much a zero on the pain meter. I know the reverse procedure is a little more complicated because you're dealing with the rotator muscle, but at this point(6 weeks) you shouldn't be feeling discomfort.

[Cover Dog]

Originally Posted by badgerboy7

Sorry to hear that, hopefully the doctor can get that corrected. At this stage to have that pain doesn't seem normal. At 2 weeks I was pretty much a zero on the pain meter. I know the reverse procedure is a little more complicated because you're dealing with the rotator muscle, but at this point(6 weeks) you shouldn't be feeling discomfort.

I agree, filled a prescription for pain meds on my way home from the hospital, didn’t take a single one during my recovery.

[REW]

I have several friends and or relatives that have had the operation.

All of them have found that the total process is 2-5 years before things are back to about 80% of normal activity.

For myself, it was three years before getting to be in pretty good shape.

However, many many years after the incident, I still sleep with my arm down along my side. If not, I wake in the morning with a good amount of pain.

But, even though I had significant range of motion for the first 15 months, the one activity that really completely gave me back all of my range of motion was bowling with a 16 lb bowling ball.

I had wanted to go back to bowling with the team that I had bowled with for several years. When I first went back that fall, I had a significant loss of motion, but as the year went on, and along with an occasional beverage during the games, my range of motion increased. Then, one evening about 6 months into the season, I stopped to thing about it and realized that I had 100% of my range of motion back. As it turned out, over the course of the season, I was trying harder and harder to raise my score, and as a result, the 16 lb bowling ball was simply stretching my arm further and further through its range of motions. Then, about 3/4 of the way through that season of bowling, my full range of motion was back and I have kept it back in the succeeding years the range of motion has stayed with me. Any time that I notice a bit of stiffening, I will just go back for some full motion exercises with stretch bands and appropriate weights to keep things stretched out as needed.

Best wishes and above all follow the advice of YOUR doctor and YOUR physical therapist.
The best friend to resolve your range of motion is your physical therapist. They have likely seen it all, and are in a very good position to offer you the very best advice.

Take care

p.s.
Don't get discouraged, if it take you 1-3 years before things are really close to normal. A very major event has happened to your body. It can sometimes take a very major amount of time to get things back to the very best condition that you will ever have.