Shoulder joint replacement and operating equipment?

I wasn't sure where to post this so here goes. I'm going to have shoulder joint replacement in a week and I'm concerned about being able to take care of our ranch and operate the equipment while I recover. Anyone have any experience with shoulder joint replacement and being able to climb into a cab? How long did it take post surgery to be somewhat productive?

I'm going to put out hay, feed, load up the water softener with salt, etc before but I can't take care of everything beforehand. Hate to have someone else do my chores but that might be necessary.

My tractor is at the dealer for service, I hauled it there but I'm sure I'll need them to deliver it. (It's been there for five weeks and it's still sitting in the lot, but that's another story. )

Best advice I can give is listen to the Dr. and let it heal properly or you could regret it for the rest of your life. Friend of mine had shoulder surgery and was supposed to take it easy for at least 4 weeks and elevate his arm when he could and not really lift anything over a couple pounds. He took it easy for about a week and then went back to work as usual. Wasn't lifting anything heavy but still going through all the motions with his shoulder. Claimed the surgery was a failure and a waste of time. It drove him crazy he couldn't do things but better to be limited for a month or so than to have problems for life. Another friend who was a multi-time provincial MX pro champion had problems where his shoulder would pop out and got to the point where he could barely do a moto without it popping out. Stopped riding, scheduled the surgery in the fall and took all winter off, about 6 month's total. He was good to go the next season and no more shoulder problems.

I think if you could get in the tractor with the other arm and possibly wear a brace where you didn't have to use that arm you could do some simple tasks although a little slower than normal. Having to stop and using 1 arm for steering and other controls would be frustrating but you could still do some of your chores. Anything involving lifting and/or twisting I think could pose problems.

Welder Dave said:

Best advice I can give is listen to the Dr. and let it heal properly or you could regret it for the rest of your life. Friend of mine had shoulder surgery and was supposed to take it easy for at least 4 weeks and elevate his arm when he could and not really lift anything over a couple pounds. He took it easy for about a week and then went back to work as usual. Wasn't lifting anything heavy but still going through all the motions with his shoulder. Claimed the surgery was a failure and a waste of time. It drove him crazy he couldn't do things but better to be limited for a month or so than to have problems for life. Another friend who was a multi-time provincial MX pro champion had problems where his shoulder would pop out and got to the point where he could barely do a moto without it popping out. Stopped riding, scheduled the surgery in the fall and took all winter off, about 6 month's total. He was good to go the next season and no more shoulder problems.

I think if you could get in the tractor with the other arm and possibly wear a brace where you didn't have to use that arm you could do some simple tasks although a little slower than normal. Having to stop and using 1 arm for steering and other controls would be frustrating but you could still do some of your chores. Anything involving lifting and/or twisting I think could pose problems.

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very good advice

Good advice above.

let it heal!

sometimes you can feel everything through your body in the area you've had surgery, you might think you can grab something in your good side and pull, but your two halves are connected and you'll likely feel it more than is healthy in the repaired shoulder.

get someone lined up to do your chores for 4 weeks, if you can. Then treat it as a holiday!

My father had a shoulder repair, and my mother had a knee done. Do exactly what the Dr or therapist tells you. They know how it heals. Just because you feel you're ok don't go out and start working. You could end up worse than you are now. My father had no issues, and my mother is going to be 83 this fall, and doesn't even have a limp.

petepilot said:

very good advice

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X2

Good luck on your recovery

Thanks guys for the tips, advice and well wishes. My first physical therapy session is one week post surgery so they will give me some guidelines to follow. Yesterday was my final ortho visit with the surgeon and I mentioned to him I was concerned about loss of strength after recovery. He said there should be no loss of strength since they aren't doing anything with the shoulder muscles, just the joint. Full recovery will take six months. That's good news except the six month part. There is a young fellow that I can hire, I'll do that rather than risk messing up the shoulder.

Doing essentially nothing for the first couple of weeks after surgery is going to drive me crazy.

Think of it this way if your mechanic tells you the best way to treat a machine to get the best life out of it and you ignore them and you tear up something because you did not grease things right they are not going to have any sympathy for you when you bring it back to be repaired the second time.

Co worker had shoulder work, ignored the Doc came back to work too soon and stressed it, not been right since, neighbor here had Rotator Cuff damage that once accessed to fix ended up complete Shoulder replacement, been three Months, does not do his therapy as 'Hurts too bad' so drags himself around with the other arm and struggles at everything. Agree, Do JUST as the Doc instructs for as long as takes.

Thank you again guys for the advice and encouragement.

My wife just had a full knee joint replacement about two months ago and her therapy did hurt (a bunch the first couple of weeks) but this was absolutely a situation of no pain no gain. She was warned that if the knee joint wasn't pushed to the limit to break up the adhesions (internal scarring), she would permanently lose the ability to fully articulate the knee. She paid the price as far as therapy pain but she's doing great now.

Just put out a roll of hay, of course now that it's summer and grass has stopped growing the price has jumped up to $100 from $70 (about a 1,000 pound roll.)

Dang you guys! Just read this thread yesterday and a few hours latter for no obvious reason my right wrist started paining me so bad I could hardly get any sleep.

Went to Urgent Care this morning and had a bunch of X-rays and about all the NP could say is not broke but something sure looks strange! She is going to have someone else look over the pictures in morning and give a call. Might have to go see the doc who worked on my hand last winter. Wonder if I can put in for a warranty claim?

Warranty on wrist repair is 5-5. 5 seconds or 5 feet what ever happens first

Bls repair said:

Warranty on wrist repair is 5-5. 5 seconds or 5 feet what ever happens first

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Dang it I for got about that! Guess I will have to eat the repair cost if it don't heal on it's own.

Actually would not mind visiting the Doc. again she's an easy on the eyes young lady, not often an old coot like me can get away with holding hands with someone like her right in from of the wife!

And the physical therapists are also "easy on the eyes"!

LOL, I'll be sure and send in the warranty card on my new shoulder joint. Hope your hand is okay. I've had two operations on my right hand for trigger finger, but it's still somewhat messed up.

Young lady that looks after me is a NP, Nurse Practioner, serves as a second set of eyes and hands for a Female Doc that is absolutely overloaded, she too on the Younger side. I did not complain of my last Colo-rectal Digit exam!! At least NOT Doctor MR. Hammer Fingers & I do not embarrass much either. Treat me as respectfully as any I have been to and maybe listen a little closer on symptoms.

Had my shoulder joint replaced last Tuesday, spent one night in the hospital. Doc said the joint was in really bad condition and more bone spurs were present than when the MRI was taken. I'm really glad I didn't put the surgery off. Pain control has been a bit of an issue - I'm trying only use as much as needed without letting it get out of control.

We had a spike buck antelope die and the dogs found it a couple of days ago, the Lab's face was covered in blood and our Heeler brought a hoof to the house for a chew toy. Wife was not happy as these dogs are mostly house dogs. Anyway I needed to dispose of the carcass which was going to be interesting with my one usable arm and my only choice of equipment was the E42 hoe since the tractor is still in the shop.

Climbing in the E42 cab took some planning but that went reasonably well. I mainly move the E42 with my feet all of the time so no problem there. Using one hand to operate both joysticks was really strange but I finally managed to scoop up the carcass and I dumped it on top of a brush windbreak. Then I was concerned about exiting the cab. I swung the cab to where I could step out and on the track, wife wanted to help but there was no way she could. So mission safely accomplished.

Tuesday I start outpatient physical therapy, I've been doing some home exercises which is helping. Hopefully I won't need to run any equipment for a few weeks (I was going to hire a nearby young fellow but I seriously doubt he knows how to run a hoe.)

Buddy of mine missed riding season this year due to a destroyed rotator cuff and other torn tendons in his shoulder. Had attempted to retrieve a piece of Curved Sidewalk form(Steel) he had tucked away to use at a friends house, seemed stuck so tried to horse it out, it came but not before destroyed one shoulder. JUST had surgery last week, usual is 3 weeks of Passive PT then on to bigger better badder more evil PT and the pain associated, his condition internally was such he has to sit out FIVE weeks under passive PT then the real game begins with all the associated adhesions. Take care NOT to over do anything, doctors get mighty offensive as we screw up what they just repaired!!

Cartoon years ago showed a dogs brain- spinning wheel with four spaces/two choices- “eat it,” “roll in it!”
Last summer mine found some rotting bullfrogs to roll in....ripe!

Like DMiller said- don’t over do it!
Slipping off the machine, you’d reflexively reach out with you arm. I’d hate to see all the time and rehab messed up.

Hope it continues to heal up well,
Darryl

I had major shoulder and hand surgery in feb of 2019..monday was carpal tunnel and trigger finger on my right hand, then 2 days later my right shoulder, shoulder was torn apart, he had to repin bicep and some other big muscle, rotator cuff had big tear in it and a few other repairs to finish up..6 weeks in a sling and told dont use for anything, as the bicep pin sometimes fail on their own you dont want to give it any help, started pt at 6 weeks when sling came off and still going to pt..the shoulder is one of the worst areas to get surgery ..I had both hips replaced 3 months apart and there was less restrictions than my shoulder....I would be guided by what your surgeon tells you what you can do, because another surgery to fix what you ripped out is not good...
worse part is that im right handed...try wiping your a$$ with the opposite hand, it aint that easy..now I bet some of you will give it a try, go ahead and you will see its not any fun..