The duration of your physical therapy plan of care will vary depending on the type of surgery you had and any additional impairments that also need to be addressed. The timeline for recovery is also dependent on any post surgical restrictions or protocols your surgeon provides to protect the surgical area as it heals. While full resolution of symptoms can take some time, you may begin to see some results right away. You should experience improvements in many symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and inflammation within a couple of weeks. Progression in strength, flexibility and overall mobility that allows you to use the arm more comfortably may take longer. Achieving long lasting results may take some time, but dedication to your program will help you achieve these results. Your PT will be able to give you a more specific timeline for recovery after your surgery and as you move through the rehabilitation process.

COMMON SHOULDER SURGERIES

The shoulder joint is essential to the functional use of our arm. Positioning the arm in space for tasks like reaching up overhead, forward or to the side requires motion from the shoulder. Because of this, any injury to the shoulder can impact how well you can use your arm. Anatomically, the shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint which is what accounts for the large arc of motion available at this joint. Many muscles attach near the shoulder including the rotator cuff muscles which help raise and rotate the arm, the pectoral muscle which pulls the arm in and rotates it, the lats which extend and rotate the arm, the elbow flexor muscles and the deltoid which raises, flexes and extends the arm. Other important ligaments, bones and nerves also exist in this area that are important to the function of the shoulder. Chronic or acute injury can occur to any of these structures. Generally, nonsurgical approaches are attempted first, except in the case of serious injuries like an unstable fracture. When conservative care fails to adequately control pain or restore function in the arm to an acceptable level, surgery may be recommended. Some of the more common surgical procedures for the shoulder are as follows:

• Rotator cuff repair.
• Standard shoulder replacement.
• Arthroscopy for frozen shoulder.
• Acromioclavicular joint repair for arthritis.
• Surgery for shoulder impingement syndrome.
• Biceps tendon repair
• Total reverse shoulder replacement
• Arthroscopic Debridement
• Fracture stabilization

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help with shoulder surgery rehab related issues, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

Shoulder Surgery Rehab

The exact progression of your recovery will depend on the type of surgery you had. Some surgeries will require a period of immobilization of the shoulder to allow tissues to heal sufficiently before any stress is applied to them. During this time your therapist may have you work on adjacent areas of the body to prevent atrophy in multiple places. Other surgeries will benefit from a more active recovery approach right away. Right after your surgery your physical therapist may use modalities, manual therapy techniques or gentle passive range of motion to address pain and inflammation and to preserve motion. As you progress through your recovery and the surgical site is allowed to undergo more stress, your program will likely include some of the following types of treatment in order to achieve your maximal level of function:

Strengthening: Restoring strength and endurance to the muscles around the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand is an important part of post-surgical rehabilitation. It will reduce the risk of re-injury and help you return to your prior level of function.

Stretching: Stretching is often needed after a surgery to restore normal joint motion and muscle length but needs to be done carefully to prevent disruption of the healing process.

Neuromuscular Re-education: This type of treatment is used to improve the motor control and coordination of muscles in the shoulder and scapula so that the arm functions well during both daily tasks and higher impact activities like athletics.

Sport- and work-specific Tasks: For athletes returning to sport, sport-specific exercises will be incorporated later on in your rehabilitation to prepare the arm for the demands of returning to play. This might include throwing, pushing and lifting type exercises. The type of surgery you had will dictate if there are any restrictions to the type of exercise or athletics you can participate in. Returning to work is also an important consideration for physical therapists and they will help address work-specific motions or movements that you will need to do at your job.

Having any type of surgery can feel daunting but my team of physical therapists and I are here to help make that process as smooth as possible. Call Evolve today to get started on your recovery from shoulder surgery.