If your shoulder joint gets seriously damaged due to a
disease or injury suffered in an accident, you might need to get it replaced by
the help of a shoulder joint replacement surgery and you should know
that your shoulder is not going to be the same after such surgery. You will
have to get used to the artificial fixtures after the surgery as the surgery
involves the replacement of the damaged joints by artificially created parts
called grafts. The parts may include a stem made of metal and a metal ball that
fits on the top of the stem and a plastic piece may be used as the new surface
of the shoulder blade. Shoulder replacement surgery cost, as well as arthroscopic
shoulder surgery cost, is quite
affordable in India as compared to other countries in the world that is why so
many NRIs prefer to get the surgery done here.
You will need to wear a sling for at least first 6 weeks after shoulder replacement surgery and this
is done to provide extra support or protection to the arm and shoulder. You can
continue using the sling even after this time period even after this period.
You may need to wear a shoulder immobilizer to keep the joint in place as well.
You should rest your shoulder and elbow on a rolled up towel or small pillow
when lying down as this will help in preventing damage to your shoulder which
can be possibly caused by the stretching of the muscles or tendons and you will
need to keep doing this for 6 to 8 weeks after your surgery, even when wearing
a sling. Wear the sling all the time unless your surgeon asks you to remove it.
You should use the support of your good arm to move the arm that has undergone
the surgery and move it only as much as your shoulder replacement doctors have asked you to. After 4 to 6 weeks
of the surgery, your surgeon or physical therapist will show you other
exercises to stretch your shoulder and gain more movement in your joint.
Your surgeon or physical therapist may teach you pendulum exercises
to do at home for 4 to 6 weeks which will help your shoulder to gain strength
and help you get acquainted with the new parts. To do these exercises you can
lean over and support your weight with your good arm on a counter or table,
hang your arm, that has been operated upon, down or very carefully and slowly
swing your loose arm round and round in circles. Your surgeon or physical
therapist will also teach you safe ways to move your arm and shoulder so that
you do not over-exert your shoulder joints. You should not try to lift or move
your shoulder without supporting it with your good arm or having someone else
supporting it and your surgeon or therapist will tell you when it is okay to
lift or move your shoulder without this support.
These exercises and movements may be hard in the beginning and may
put a lot of strain on your shoulder but they will get easier over time and it
is very important to do these as your surgeon or therapist showed you as doing
these exercises will help your shoulder get better faster and they will also
help you be more active after you recover.
You should try to avoid certain activities and movements like using
your shoulder a lot, lifting objects heavier than a cup of coffee, supporting
your body weight on the operated arm, making sudden jerking movements. Your
surgeon or physical therapist will tell you which sports and other activities
are okay for you after your recovery. You will probably not be able to drive
for at least 4 to 6 weeks after the surgery as you might need to take narcotics
during this period.
