How long should you take off work after shoulder replacement surgery?

 ChatGPT is a interactive language model developed by OpenAI, that uses a deep learning framework to understand queries and to generate coherent, contextually relevant responses based on a set of books, websites, and texts selected by researchers at OpenAI. While search engines such as Google provide links to websites that may or may not be accurate or relevant, ChatGPT provides a readable synthesis of the information from its comprehensive sources,

We sought ChatGPT responses to questions frequently posed by patients with shoulder arthritis.  These responses cannot used as specific medical advice. Patients should consult medical professionals for the most current and accurate information on their shoulder condition.

We asked "How long should you take off work after shoulder replacement surgery?"

ChatGPT replied: 

"The length of time you should take off work after shoulder replacement surgery can vary depending on several factors, including the type of work you do, the specific surgical procedure, your overall health, and the progress of your recovery. It's important to consult with your surgeon and healthcare team for personalized advice based on your unique situation. They will consider these factors and provide specific recommendations tailored to your needs.

In general, the recovery period after shoulder replacement surgery can range from several weeks to a few months. During the initial phase of recovery, it's common to experience pain, swelling, and limited mobility, which may impact your ability to perform certain work tasks. Additionally, certain occupations that involve heavy lifting, repetitive overhead activities, or physical labor may require a longer period of time off work compared to sedentary or desk-based jobs.

Here are some general guidelines regarding time off work after shoulder replacement surgery:

Sedentary or desk-based jobs: If your job primarily involves sitting at a desk or computer, you may be able to return to work within a few weeks, depending on your pain levels, ability to perform tasks, and any restrictions set by your surgeon. You may need to modify your work environment, such as adjusting the height of your chair or using an ergonomic setup to ensure comfort and minimize strain on the shoulder.

Manual labor or physically demanding jobs: Jobs that involve heavy lifting, repetitive motions, or significant physical exertion may require a longer recovery period. It may be necessary to take several months off work to allow for sufficient healing and rehabilitation. Your surgeon and healthcare team will provide guidance based on the specific demands of your job and the progress of your recovery.

It's crucial to prioritize your recovery and give your body enough time to heal properly before returning to work. Rushing the process or returning too soon may increase the risk of complications or hinder your overall recovery.

Additionally, it's important to consider any workplace accommodations or modifications that may be necessary upon your return to work. Discuss potential modifications, such as reduced lifting or modified duties, with your employer to ensure a smooth transition back to work.Remember that these are general guidelines, and the duration of time off work will vary from person to person. It's essential to consult with your surgeon or healthcare team for specific recommendations based on your individual circumstances and the nature of your job. They will provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information to help you make informed decisions regarding your return to work."

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Here are some videos that are of shoulder interest
Shoulder arthritis - what you need to know (see this link).
How to x-ray the shoulder (see this link).
The ream and run procedure (see this link).
The total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The cuff tear arthropathy arthroplasty (see this link).
The reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (see this link).
The smooth and move procedure for irreparable rotator cuff tears (see this link).
Shoulder rehabilitation exercises (see this link)

Do patients covered by workmen's compensation get back to work after shoulder arthroplasty?

Anatomic Shoulder Arthroplasty in Workers’ Compensation Patients: Predictors of Success and Return to Work

These authors sought to determine: 1) the extent to which patient-reported outcomes are impacted by WC status in comparison to patients covered by other types of insurance, 2) which factors are predictive of a successful outcome of shoulder arthroplasty as defined by improvement exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), 3) the ability of WC patients to return to their presurgical occupation after arthroplasty.

They identified 677 patients who underwent primary anatomic shoulder arthroplasty with a minimum 2-year follow-up, 39 of whom had WC insurance. These patients were compared to a matched cohort of 78 patients not having WC insurance. Two non-WC patients were matched to every WC patient based on similar age, sex, ASA class, history of prior surgery, smoking status, type of procedure, preoperative SST, and preoperative SANE scores.

Jobs that required medium (9.1 to 22.7 kilograms or 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally), heavy (22.7 to 45.4 kilograms or 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally), or very heavy (>45.4 kilograms or >100 pounds of force occasionally) physical demands were classified as physically-demanding, while jobs that required sedentary (less than 4.5 kilograms or 10 pounds of force occasionally) or light (4.5 to 9.1 kilograms or 10 to 20 pounds of force occasionally) physical demands were classified as non-physically-demanding.

21% of patients covered by WC insurance had lawyer involvement in contrast to 1% of non-WC patients

Success, defined as improvement beyond MCID, occurred in a significantly lower proportion of workers’ compensation patients compared to non-workers’ compensation patients (64% vs. 94%, p<0.001).  WC patients had lower postoperative scores and a higher percentage of revision surgery.

Among WC patients, older age (p=0.010) and a higher preoperative SF-36 role physical domain score (a measure of the patient’s perceived limitations in routine activities) (p=0.007) were associated with improvement beyond the MCID. 

Among WC patients, the patients most likely to achieve significant improvement were more likely to be younger, male, have a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, have a lower preoperative SST score and have higher SF-36 scores in "role physical', "mental component summary" and "physical component summary".

A significantly lower percentage of patients with physically demanding jobs returned to previous occupation compared to patients with non physically demanding jobs (13% vs. 73%, p=0.001).

Comment: This article points out that patients on WC insurance and having shoulder arthroplasty have substantially different preoperative characteristics than those not on WC insurance.

The data suggest that surgeons should be cautious about predicting a successful return to work for patients on WC insurance, especially for those patients with physically demanding jobs and those with low levels of physical function prior to surgery.

To see our approach to total shoulder arthroplasty, see this link.

To support our research to improve outcomes for patients with shoulder problems, click here.

To subscribe to this blog, enter your email in the box to your right that looks like the below

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How you can support research in shoulder surgery Click on this link.

We have a new set of shoulder youtubes about the shoulder, check them out at this link.

Be sure to visit "Ream and Run - the state of the art" regarding this radically conservative approach to shoulder arthritis at this link and this link

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  arthritis, total shoulder, ream and run, reverse total shoulder, CTA arthroplasty, and rotator cuff surgery as well as the 'ream and run essentials'

Will I be able to return to work after my shoulder surgery?

Return to Work Following Shoulder Surgery

These authors assessed the postoperative return to work (RTW) for a large series of patients having shoulder surgery by an individual surgeon. 

Six months following the shoulder operations, 77% of the patients returned to work (40% with full duties and 37% with light duties). 

Concomitant rotator cuff repair and stabilization was associated with the highest RTW rate (90%) whereas some of the lowest RTW rates were associated with reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (56%) and total shoulder arthroplasty (71%). 

The highest rate of RTW with full duties was associated with debridement for calcific tendinitis (62%). 

Capsular release was the only procedure to result in a significant improvement in work level within 6 months, providing a significant improvement in work level from preoperatively to postoperatively (p = 0.0116). 

Older patients with stiffer shoulders who were not working preoperatively had the lowest RTW rate at 6 months.

The most significant factors were assessed using a multiple logistic regression analysis in order to identify independent factors that best predict whether patients will RTW at 6 months postoperatively. The best independent predictors of RTW were younger age, less stiffness, and working preoperatively.

Comment: This study of the practice of an individual surgeon demonstrates that return to work is likely to be a different metric than patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). It would have been interesting to see the relation between the two, in other words, how did improvement in PROM relate to RTW?  

It is surely humbling to see that only one of the procedures studied was successful in improving the mean work level at 6 months after surgery. If improving the ability to perform work is the primary objective of the surgery, a candid discussion of likelihood and predictors of success would seem warranted. 

To support our research to improve outcomes for patients with shoulder problems, click here.

To subscribe to this blog, enter your email in the box to your right that looks like the below

===
How you can support research in shoulder surgery Click on this link.

We have a new set of shoulder youtubes about the shoulder, check them out at this link.

Be sure to visit "Ream and Run - the state of the art" regarding this radically conservative approach to shoulder arthritis at this link and this link

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  arthritis, total shoulder, ream and run, reverse total shoulder, CTA arthroplasty, and rotator cuff surgery as well as the 'ream and run essentials'