reverse shoulder surgery

had this done 2 weeks ago-new joint. anyone else on this site had this done and how is it working for you when working on those tractors?

i had my first therapy session yesterday. 8 weeks to go.

I was scheduled to have both of mine done two years ago but then backed out of it. The orthopedic surgeon told me that once done - no pulling hard on wrenches at all - forever. So I think I will put up with the pain for at least a few more years. Worst part now is my shoulder-joint pops out if I work my arm in certain ways. A friend of mine had both his done two years ago. He is (or was a mechanic). Says all the pain is gone but he can't do much in the way of hard work anymore. He had to hire a guy to do most of the work in his repair shop. My arms are weak when I try to raise them - but I actually have less pain now then I did when all this started. So far, I am very glad I never had it done.

Sorry, had to laugh at the title. "Reverse Shoulder Surgery" and I got this mental image of doctors putting your arms on backwards.

Sounds very painful. Not sure I've heard of this before - what's happening that requires the replacements?

My doctor told me that there are always risks and trade-offs in most situations. He said to use my best judgment and what risks that I was willing to take and go with that.

My Dr mentioned the S word, surgery.

I like to sleep on my right side. My right shoulder and right hip has been hurting for years.

Something told me perhaps my hip and shoulder doesn't like me sleeping on it.

Sure enough I stopped sleeping on my side, shoulder and hip stopped talking to me. I used reverse logic . Better than surgery.

I'm with JDEM. 3 yrs ago, I strained my shoulder (rotator cuff?). When I saw the doc, the pain was getting better so he said to see how it goes. Well, saw him every 3 mos for almost a year and it did get better to where there was no major pain. However, my range of motion became limited and the arm was weak and I had some achiness when I used it a lot. So 2 yrs ago, he had an MRI done, said there was probably surgery in my future. He sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who said I had arthritis in the joint and "goats beard" growths on the joint that limited my range of motion.

He gave me 4 options:
1) do nothing, take advil when it gets too sore, call him if it gets worse
2) Do a joint replacement where only 1 half(ball) is replaced
3) Do a reverse replacement where the ball is on your shoulder, socket on your arm.
4) fly in some "special tools" (remember the Seinfeld squirrel episode?) to scrape the joint (no replacement) to make it a more precise, smoother fit. Don't recall how this affects the arthritis issue. Much longer recovery time for this option.

I opted for Door 1. Major reason is that he said shoulders don't come out nearly as well as knee replacements, healing time was lengthy, (could be a year after surgery before I had full use of it depending upon which option I chose) and it would not be 100% to what I had before. Yup, Option 1 for me, no surgery.

Nowadays, I can't raise my arm much above my head (limited range of motion) without using my other arm for help, it "clicks" a lot, don't have much strength when it's close to horizontal, can't lay on it to sleep. But... it's a soreness kind of discomfort, not painful. Considering I'm in my mid 60s, I didn't want to waste up to a year in recuperation.

I haven't lost much if I'm using it below my waist, like lifting things, wrenching on stuff lower to the ground. I've gone downhill skiing with it in Colorado and it didn't prevent me from doing anything I'd normally do.

So, your results may vary, but I'm happy with my decision to just let it be and forego the knife.

You described myself to a tee. Except I don't down hill ski.

rotator cuff is removed and new socket is put in arm w/new ball put in shoulder bone secured w/screws. had a lot of arthrites in rotator cuff. the dr.that did this did my other shoulder rotator back in 2013 and good luck with that so hopeing this will also be good maybe with limits. i am 76 yrs young.

That's so you can pat yourself on the back.

What you describe is my situation. I use one arm to help lift the other. Can't sleep on my left side at all. But I can
still pull on wrenches, cut firewood, etc. if I am careful and keep my arms low. I gave my 92 Dodge-Cummins truck to my son
because it was a 5 speed manual and too painful to shift. I can drive my manual shift Toyota truck fine, but that Dodge had
too long a reach. I figure if I got that "reverse" shoulder joint replacement - I wouldn't be able to hardly do any of what
I do now. So, I'd rather just live with it. If I just sat around every day and did nothing, I might consider it. I'm 65 if I
live to be 85, maybe I'll reconsider (and maybe croak in the hospital).

Wife has had both shoulders replaced over last 12 years. Not supposed to lift more weight than 1 gal of milk held away from her body. Can lift additional weight if pulled close to body. Did all therapy, but can't raise arms above shoulders. Great part is the pain's gone.

I am putting off reverse shoulder replacement because of the physical limitations. I can do most things I need to do with very little pain. Driving or just putting my arm out in front of my body like sitting at a table kills it. The odd part is I have to sleep on that shoulder. When I get up in the morning the pain is gone. I had a cortisone shot in October and am ready for another one.

It is very informative watching the videos of the procedure on youtube.

(quoted from post at 16:56:31 04/20/17) rotator cuff is removed and new socket is put in arm w/new ball put in shoulder bone secured w/screws. had a lot of arthrites in rotator cuff. the dr.that did this did my other shoulder rotator back in 2013 and good luck with that so hopeing this will also be good maybe with limits. i am 76 yrs young.

Click to expand...

Be interested in following your recuperation and how that procedure works out. IIRC, the surgeon said that was 6-12 mos recovery time.

Both of mine are in need of major repair I hope I can hold out for 8 more years. I would also like a new left knee and a right foot that don't hurt. Other than the knee my issues came from accidents, I got my foot caught under a lawn mower, wrecked a shoulder riding a 3 wheeler and mess up the other from a fall out of a wagon.

I am not much of a hammer man anymore but have learned to deal with the other restrictions. In 2011 I had schedule the right shoulder to be repaired my wife had a stroke that paralyzed her on one side so put it off. The surgeon told me I could live with it if I worked on strength training the other muscles to do the work of the ruptured Supraspinatus.

The real bad is I will not be able to throw a ball to my grand kids...

Had my left shoulder joint replaced first of December, 2015. Not reverse. my socket is still in the shoulder and the ball and shaft are in my arm. Lots of recovery in the first 2 months, then lots of physical therapy to about 6 months post op. I may be real lucky but it is like new with no pain. Do anything I want to do with my arms.

I have not had replacements, but have had both shoulders repaired. The second was around fifteen years ago, and the pain from that one never went fully away. Last couple of years it was getting worse, so I went to the Dr. and got a referral for PT. The PT worked GREAT. He poked and prodded and tested and figured out what he problem was, then started stretching me and had me do range increasing exercises. Finally he got me onto strength increasing exercises, which I continue to do every day. I am now free of that nagging pain. Phenomenal.

Was told in 2013 I needed a reverse replacement on my Left Shoulder .
However surgeon told me to hold off as long as I can due to the
Draw backs mentioned here.
So I said no problem I will just retire.
So after 47 years as a heavy Equipment Operator and Master
Mechanic I pulled the plug.
After some therapy and a shot I'm doing ok since.
I still get to pittel with my old iron and vintage trucks as long as I know when to quit and rest.

Works for me.
Tom