Weight gain vs rTSA...PO Day 65

My usual form of exercise is just walking. I used to walk three miles every morning, that far only because I do not walk fast. If I walked faster I would settle for two miles. I often encounter a woman older than I who has three little unmanageable dogs on leashes and she somehow always outpaces me in spite of the canine chaos accompanying her.

Before shoulder surgery walking aggravated the pain in my arm but not enough to keep me from trying to persevere. But post surgery the combination of breathlessness, weakness and shoulder discomfort coupled with heat and humidity has been the perfect storm to excuse me from hitting the road. Three times a week physical therapy at 7:40 AM seemed a reasonable substitute for less climate controlled ( read "outdoor") activity.

But the recent shocking discovery of losing an inch in height made me realize that a proportionate
decrease in weight would be required to maintain my usual BMI ( body mass index). Sure enough, my BMI increased almost a full point given my new stature.

So, how seriously do I have to take this change? Does being overweight affect joint replacement surgery as negatively as we are told it does everything else about our health?

In a study comparing normal weight, overweight, and obese patients who underwent shoulder replacement surgery pain relief was comparable in all three groups.  In fact, obese patients self reported the greatest level of pain relief.

Operative time and intraoperative blood loss were slightly greater in obese patients but it was not significant and did not result in increased  number of days in hospital, complications during surgery or the need for blood transfusions.

It is true that patients who weighed less did demonstrate greater function after total shoulder replacement surgery but the operation benefited all three categories of patients.  The bottom line is that the surgery benefits patients of all weights in improving function and pain relief and weight does not affect the operating procedure nor the hospital stay.

I think I will have a cookie now.