Diligent rehabilitation exercises are a very large part of the success of a shoulder joint replacement.
An example program is described below, but the specifics of the program for each shoulder are determined by the surgeon based on the findings at surgery and the details of the procedure. Note that this type of program is not used after a reverse total shoulder or after a shoulder replacement for fracture.
During the first six weeks after surgery, five stretching exercise sessions per day are needed. The primary goal of these stretching exercises is to gain motion in forward elevation – that is the ability for the arm to move up above your head.
While the muscles of the operated shoulder will not be able to power this motion weeks after surgery, using the other arm for assistance will assure that the necessary stretching takes place. Three methods of forward elevation stretching are shown in these links: Supine Stretch, Forward Lean, and The Pulley. One of these stretches needs to be performed with five repetitions five times spread out through the day. The fifth stretch of each session should be held at the maximal comfortable position for a full two minutes. This allows the muscles to relax so that the tissues around the shoulder can be stretched. This investment is less than one hour per day for optimizing the recovery of your shoulder. The goal is to attain at least 150 degrees of forward elevation; for easy reference, that is a position in which your arm is alongside your ear.
Once 150 degrees of forward elevation is achieved, other exercises can be added such as the Abduction Stretch and the Sleeper Stretch and Reaching Up the Back
At six weeks we usually start gentle strengthening using the Supine Press the Lat Pull and Rowing.
If there are any questions and especially if these exercises cause substantial discomfort, contact your surgical team promptly.
A word of caution about protecting the subscapularis and exercises to avoid.
Be sure to click on this link to the Shoulder Arthritis Book.
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Consultation for those who live a distance away from Seattle.
Click here to see the new Shoulder Arthritis Book
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Consultation for those who live a distance away from Seattle.
Click here to see the new Shoulder Arthritis Book
Click here to see the new Rotator Cuff Book
To see the topics covered in this Blog, click here
Use the "Search" box to the right to find other topics of interest to you.
You may be interested in some of our most visited web pages including:shoulder arthritis, total shoulder, ream and run, reverse total shoulder, CTA arthroplasty, and rotator cuff surgery as well as the 'ream and run essentials'
