Physical Therapy After A Shoulder Replacement

If you have been told by your physician that you need a total shoulder replacement you are probably wondering what the recovery process is. The first thing you should know is that no matter how much pain you are feeling in your shoulder now, you will be very pleasantly surprised at how little pain you feel after the surgery. The reason for this is that most shoulder replacement candidates are people who have severe arthritis in the joint, significant fractures near the joint, badly damaged/torn soft tissues in the joint, or tumors in the area, all of which cause a great deal of pain. After the shoulder replacement, the source of pain is usually completely eliminated.

It is important to note that there are two different types of shoulder replacements – standard and reverse – and your recovery process will be determined by the type of procedure you had and which muscles were cut and reattached during the procedure. After the operation, your surgeon will most likely request that you go through a course of skilled physical therapy to regain as much shoulder motion and strength as possible in order to maximize function. With both types of procedures you will go through three phases of rehabilitation. The length of each phase will be determined by your surgeon as will the guidelines you follow during each phase.

PHASE I: Protection

During phase I you will be wearing a sling to protect the replaced joint and surrounding capsule and muscles. Most surgeons will require you to wear the sling at all times (including at night while sleeping) for about 4-6 weeks and will instruct you to avoid moving your shoulder, leaning on your elbow or han