Rehabilitation program after shoulder surgery

But, if your surgery was more extensive, it could take a few weeks before the pain goes away. Use a cold pack to reduce inflammation and pain.

You can use a bag of peas wrapped in a light cloth, or you can buy an ice pack and place it directly on your shoulder for about 20 minutes every few hours for your first three to five days. Your doctor may prescribe you pain medicine if the pain is hard to tolerate.

You might experience bruising, stiffness and swelling of your hand and arm, in addition to pain. These are normal symptoms and stem from the shoulder healing process. Treating the pain with medicine can make you feel more comfortable, which will help your shoulder surgery recovery go more smoothly. Once your pain starts improving, you should stop taking the opioids. If you still require pain medication, switch to other types of pain relief.

Change your dressing as the doctor instructs until they remove your stitches. Typically, this occurs a week following surgery. After your doctor removes your stitches, they might allow you to rinse the wound. Make sure you dry the wound thoroughly after your shower. In the early phase of your recovery, you should wear loose-fitting clothing you can easily put on and that fit over your sling.

Wear shirts with a zipper or easy-to-use buttons, rather than having to pull them over your head. Wear bras that close in the front to make them easier to put on during your early post-operative phase.

Wear shoes you can put on easily with one hand, preferably with no laces, since trying to tie shoelaces with a single hand could be a big challenge. Velcro or slip-on shoes are best. Although rare, you could experience complications from your rotator cuff surgery, like nerve damage or infections.

Your doctor will go over potential complications with you. It can be a challenge trying to find a comfortable sleep position after shoulder surgery. Here are some rotator cuff surgery recovery sleeping tips your doctor will likely have you follow:. Prepare yourself for the fact that it will likely be up to six weeks before you can drive again. A rehabilitation program after shoulder surgery may be directly linked to the severity of the initial injury and the type of repair that was performed.

Severe injuries that require more complex surgery may have a longer period of rehabilitation than those that require less invasive surgery. Most patients will follow a physical therapy routine and receive treatment for about 4 months following surgery. At that time, most patients can return to all regular physical activity. Rehabilitation After Shoulder Surgery Shoulder surgery may be performed for any number of reasons including repairing a torn rotator cuff, correcting shoulder instability, or repositioning a dislocated shoulder.

Making this a priority will maximize your recovery. You should discuss when it is appropriate to begin rehabbing your shoulder with your healthcare provider before starting any exercise regimen. Below a complete post-operative shoulder rehabilitation program is reviewed. The program should be performed three times a day. Starting early motion exercises after shoulder surgery progresses from simple motions to more complex movements. Exercises to consider may include:. Use a stick to perform these exercises:.

Getting your shoulder muscles working properly after surgery requires you to do strengthening exercises. These exercises should be progressive in nature; start easy and then progress. Exercises to consider include:. You can also incorporate rotator cuff strengthening exercises with a resistance band into your shoulder rehab program.

Scapular stabilization may also be helpful to keep your shoulder moving properly when you raise your arm up. Performing these exercises three times a day will help improve shoulder strength and range of motion after undergoing an operative procedure. Remember to apply ice to the affected shoulder after performing the exercise routine. Stop any exercise if significant pain or discomfort is felt, and again, check in with your healthcare provider before starting and exercise program.

Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Progressive early passive and active exercise therapy after surgical rotator cuff repair - study protocol for a randomized controlled trial the CUT-N-MOVE trial. Shoulder surgery exercise guide.