I am hoping to have a complete shoulder replacement later this year and just wondered if any of you can advise me on anything that I would find useful to have when I am recovering from this. I have a bath seat that lowers me up and down and have been buying some blouses and night wear that button up down the front as I think it will be difficult to get clothes over my head with my arm in a sling.
There maybe some things that I haven't thought of so I thought I would ask about it.
Hi Holly , i had decompression surgery on my shoulder a number of years ago and was in a sling for 8 weeks. The things I remember having problems with were trouser fastenings , so elastic waists helped . Cooking was a problem, a non slip mat under chopping board helps though pre- prepared veg etc are much handier. I got a styling blow dry brush which I could sort of use one handed . Top up your bus pass as well as you wont be able to drive for a while , I think i got most of my shopping delivered though. Im sure there were other things , but these stick out. I hope all goes well for you and that the surgery is a great success, best wishes 🌸
Thank you so much for your tips weathervane. I don't drive and can't go out on my own because of not being able to walk more than a few yards so I don't need to do anything about that. I hadn't thought about elastic waisted trousers so will have to see about that. It is surprising how many things that you don't think about until someone points them out. As for my hair, I have it cut short so that I just wash it and leave it to dry, but I don't think I would be able to wash it with one hand, but I know my husband will held me with that.
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and I hope that your operations was a success.
Washing your hair is not to bad in the shower, a bath might be more difficult ! My op was a great success , it took long months of physio to get movement back but I became pain free after years of severe pain and no sleep, hope you have same result xx
I have had both shoulders replaced successfully. First of all try keeping your shoulders fit before the op by doing gentle exercises, this helps to prevent muscle loss and will make recovery essier。
After the operation I had six weeks of doing very little with the arm. Bending over and dangling it and rotating the arm in a swinging motion. Three times a day. 60 rotations. You can take the sling off to wash and get dressed and for this exercise.
Then after the six weeks I went swimming three times a week for three months. I was told to do it by my surgeon. To begin with it was doggy paddle but eventually the shoulder began working better and I could do the crawl stroke. I saw a Physio once a week to talk as much as anything, short massage! To keep me going. It is boring..
ironing every morning would probably work too.
Penelopebham
Thank you for all the information Penelope, it sounds hard work. I really can't do much with my shoulder now, but I do a lot of craft work so that does keep it moving to a certain extent. I can't swim but have always enjoyed just exercising in the pool. However, over the last year, I have not been able to go because I can't get dressed and and undressed without help, so were you able to do all that with your arm once you had the op?
Next week I am seeing another surgeon about having a knee replacement but I think it would be too much to have it very soon after the shoulder op and that it needs to wait a few months until I can move my shoulder better because I would not be able to use crutches etc. My other shoulder is also a bit painful, but the one I am having the op on is by far the worst.
Give yourself time. The shoulder takes a few months as you can’t use it very much, as in for blow drying hair. Making a bed chopping food except carefully.
It all needs retraining. I don’t swim for pleasure but it worked as it’s easier to exercise in warm water floating.
The knee takes time too. But hair and cooking are not problems. ! Takes less time to recover. Do lots of exercises
I had a complete shoulder replacement in October. It all went very well and I have now been discharged. I am not completely pain free but it is much better than before the operation and I have almost full mobility again. I would advise button through tops and elasticated waist trousers. I would also have some ready meals in the freezer and buy ready prepared vegetables. I was able to do most things fairly quickly as it was my left shoulder and I am right handed. I needed help to wash my hair and shower after the operation. i used baby wipes for under arm "washing" and these worked well.
Good luck with your operation.
Thank you for the tips Raindrop, I am the same, in that it is my left shoulder and I am right handed. My husband is retired so will be doing the cooking and can help with with hair washing etc. I have recently bought myself some button through tops as I only had one and thought that I would need them. I will also see if I think I have enough elasticated waist trousers. I have not been able to do much with my shoulder for a long time. it is even very difficult to wash under my right arm because of this, so it will be so good to get a bit of mobility back. I was told that the op would leave me completely pain free but I notice that you say you still have some pain, so that sounds disappointing. How long was it before you felt you were virtually back to full mobility and how high up can you lift your arm please?
It was about 4 months until I had more or less full mobility. I can lift my arm up with no problem but still struggle a bit to put it behind my back to do up my bra - I fasten it at the front and swivel it round. Don’t worry about the pain. It is so much better than it was.
Thank you for answering my question Raindrops. We have not been able to book a holiday this year, due to not knowing when the operation will be. It now looks like it may be around August. I am wondering just how soon you felt that you would have managed a holiday after having your shoulder replacement done? I don't want to book something and go away only to feel unwell and wish I was at home. Do you feel that it took several months before you would have felt well enough to enjoy being away?
It depends what type of holiday you enjoy. I had my operation in October and we went on holiday in April this year. We didn’t go anywhere before that because I like to swim and wasn’t able to until about February. My sling came off about 6 weeks after the operation and then I attended physio every week for a while. I didn’t really feel unwell after the initial 6 weeks.
Thank you for your answer Raindrop, I can't swim and can't manage active holidays. For the last few years we have been on a cruise and I was thinking of the same again as they are most restful, but of course, it is not like being at home and in your own bed and it always seems to take me a long time to get over things. I am thinking that from what you say, it is not going to be possible this year as we were thinking of going in about October/November. Although we went last year in November and my shoulder and arm were very painful then and my husband had to help me with dressing and undressing etc, so it is difficult to say whether it would be possible or not.
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