Surgeons in the US perform thousands of successful total shoulder replacement surgeries each year, but there are patients with large rotator cuff tears who cannot benefit from this type of surgery. These patients can regain shoulder movement by undergoing a reverse shoulder arthroplasty. More is known about the procedure and recovery time for total shoulder replacement, but what is the recovery time for a reverse shoulder arthroplasty.
What is a Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty?
In a reverse shoulderarthroplasty the normal placement of the ball and socket components are reversed. The socket is placed on the ball side of the joint, and the ball placed on the socket side.
What does it treat?
Reverse shoulder arthroplasty is a procedure that is often used to treat rotator cuff tear arthroplasty. This is a type of arthritis in which a massive tear occurs in the rotator cuff, and the tendons wear away. As a result, the shoulder is unstable and the range of motion is diminished. Most patients with this condition experience lack of overhead motion, and are unable to lift their arm to shoulder height.
Recovery time
Patients are usually started on physical therapy during their hospital stay, which ranges from 2-3 days. After leaving hospital, they are advised to continue doing range of motion exercises, to improve arm strength and shoulder mobility. A structured physical therapy program may also be recommended. Full recovery can take 3-4 months, but a lot depends on how quickly patients progress.
For more information on reverse shoulder arthroplasty, contact orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frank McCormick. Dr. McCormick can be contacted at the LESS Institute in Miami. They also have offices in Boca Raton, Orlando, Doral, and West Palm Beach. Please call 866-956-3837 to schedule an appointment, or go to https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/mccormick-shoulder-and-sports-30866?lock=tru%E2%80%A6to book an appointment online.