Health

4 Care Tips After Shoulder Replacement Surgery

A shoulder replacement is a surgical procedure that helps reduce pain and restore mobility to your affected shoulder. A surgeon inserts a stainless steel socket or humeral ball into your shoulder to replace or repair the damaged area. This procedure can help those with different shoulder injuries like torn rotator cuff muscle, bursa inflammation, and osteoarthritis. Proper post-surgery care helps patients recover quickly and minimize the risk of new complications. Here are four care tips that can help you after shoulder replacement surgery:

Wear Your Sling

A sling helps prevent your repaired rotator cuff from straining. Wearing a sling for the surgeon-recommended timeframe helps your shoulder rest and allows you to make controlled shoulder movements. This protects delicate shoulder tissues, like ligaments and tendons, from further damage and prevents disrupted recovery. The support provided by a sling to the muscles and other tissues of injured shoulders promotes stability by preventing the implanted prostheses from dislocating. Wearing a sling immediately after surgery allows your shoulder to align properly to help maintain your normal posture.

Undergo Rehabilitative Exercises

Rehabilitative exercises or physical therapy after surgery allow shoulder muscles to gradually regain strength. If you have shoulder injuries like tendonitis, your surgeon might recommend physical therapy to prevent the elbow and shoulder joints from becoming stiff. Physical therapies may involve wall push-ups and isometric exercises, which include internal and external shoulder rotations. Specialists advise patients to avoid overdoing the exercises in order to mitigate pain and other setbacks.

Follow the Surgeon’s Pain Management Instructions

One way to relieve any shoulder pain is to take prescribed pain medications. The surgeon may refer you to a reputable doctor for safe over-the-counter drugs. Your doctor should discuss with you when to take the medications and the right dosage for effective pain alleviation.  Always keep the arm and shoulder supported to minimize pain. This promotes a comfortable recovery.

A surgeon may teach you about various ways to care for the incision, including keeping it clean and dry and changing the badges or dressings. Shoulder replacement surgeons advise checking for various signs like pus accumulation, redness, and excessive swelling, which could occur during recovery. Surgeons also advise to eat foods rich in vitamins and stay hydrated. Such diets help to quicken the recovery process by aiding the repair of shoulder tissues.

Follow Up With the Surgeon

Follow-ups after undergoing a shoulder replacement procedure allow your surgeon to monitor your recovery. Your shoulder replacement surgeon will get time to assess your wound for any infection and perform imaging tests like X-rays. This test allows the surgeon to check the condition of the tissues and examine your shoulder’s range of motion. 

Visit a Surgical Specialist After Shoulder Injuries

A professional shoulder replacement procedure after injuries can help manage pain and gradually improve your shoulder’s mobility. Shoulder injuries and infections like bursitis require professional intervention to avoid further complications like prosthetic failure. A professional surgeon can help tailor prostheses to enhance your shoulder stability and quicken your recovery. Request an appointment with a shoulder replacement surgical specialist for quality and safe procedures.

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