When it’s time for shoulder surgery, you have questions about preparing for your procedure. Whether you need arthroscopic repair to stabilize this complex joint, shoulder replacement, or something else, good preparation leads to a successful outcome. Here is what you can do to get ready for shoulder surgery.
Tip #1 Understand Your Diagnosis and Why Surgery Is Necessary
As you go through your in-office evaluation with your orthopedic surgeon, be specific about your symptoms, their location, and what may have precipitated them (a fall or work injury, forexample). The more information you give your bone and joint specialist, the more accurate your diagnosis and treatment plan will be.
Also, expect a hands-on examination of your shoulder, X-rays, or an MRI, and a discussion of your medical history, including past orthopedic injuries and conditions. Once the doctor has collected the information necessary for a diagnosis, you will receive an explanation of what is happening in your shoulder and why surgery is your best option.
Be sure to ask the orthopedic surgeon questions. For example, how long will your procedure last? Will you be hospitalized? What will you do about pain control? How long will complete recovery take? Your doctor wants you to be fully informed and confident in your decision.
Tip #2 Check Your Health Insurance
Be sure your orthopedic surgeon is in-network with your health insurance provider. Ask what copays and out-of-pocket expenses you will be responsible for. How many follow-up and physical therapy visits will you be allowed? Get these financial details straight before you head into surgery, and you will rest and recover worry-free.
Tip #3 Prepare Your Household and Employer
Most shoulder surgery patients wear a sling or other immobilizer post-operatively. That means you will need help at home with dressing, bathing, cooking, and laundry–in other words, the activities of daily living. Parents will need help caring for young children, too.
So, enlist family or trusted friends to help you for at least a few days. Have your refrigerator well stocked, and arrange your most frequently used food and personal care items at waist level or lower. You will not be allowed to reach overhead or carry anything heavy until your physician says these movements are OK.
Other movements may be off-limits, too, depending on your surgery and plan of recovery. Your pre-op team will tell you what you can and cannot do as you recover.
Finally, arrange for enough time off from work. Your doctor will be able to tell you approximately how much you need depending on the kind of job you have.
Tip #4 Learn How to Care for Your Wound And To Manage Pain
In general, more complex shoulder surgeries take six to 8 weeks or more of recovery. The process includes caring for your sutures and watching for signs of infection, bleeding, or poor wound closure.
Regarding pain management, take the medications your doctor prescribes. Or, he or she may recommend over-the-counter options, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, to keep your pain at a tolerable level.
Finally, expect a regular program of physical therapy. Shoulder surgery patients need the active and passive exercise and stretching programs physical therapists develop.
Remember, it’s important to rest, too. Don’t push your recovery, but rather, be patient as you gradually feel better and begin to regain normal strength and range of motion.
Tip #5 Ask About When to Stop Medications Before Your Surgery
Most Americans take some form of herbal supplements and vitamins. If you do, ask your orthopedic specialist if and when you should stop taking them. Some over-the-counter supplements can interfere with anesthesia, pain management, and recovery. Likely, your doctor will allow you to take routine prescription meds, such as your blood pressure pills, with a sip of water the morning of your shoulder surgery.
Also, know when to fast from food and water (usually nothing after midnight the day of surgery). Finally,refrain from smoking and alcohol the week before and for some time after your surgery, as both interfere with wound healing.
Your Shoulder Surgeon in the Baltimore, MD Area
At Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons work with their patients every step of the way to recovery from shoulder surgery. Whether you are having a simpler arthroscopic debridement of your shoulder joint or a complete replacement, you’ll receive both the care and the information you need.
Call us to learn more about our helpful patient education: (410) 296-6232, or request an appointment here. We have five convenient locations, so there’s one near you!
