Today was a high activity day for me. It was pre-Christmas cleaning and it involved cleaning the oriental rug in the living room. No rug shampooing machine for it...two scrub brushes, vinegar and water and four arms, including one slightly compromised shoulder. It was a work out. Am I overdoing it?
In a 2012 study that included 78 patients with 81 treated shoulders (rTSA) it appears not. The average age was 73, 49 women, 32 men. Average time since surgery was 3.6 years.
Activities were broken down into three categories: low demand, medium demand and high demand. Low demand consisted of things like cooking, baking and driving. Medium demand involved gardening, leaf raking and lawn mowing. High demand included snow shoveling, using a wheelbarrow and dirt shoveling.
There was no difference in activity levels from patients who had undergone other types of shoulder arthroplasty. And a significant number of the rTSA group continued to perform medium and high demand activities. Patients did recognize that participating in high demand chores might lead to discomfort afterwards so there was a short term price to pay. But in general, it did not deter them.
The study suggested long term follow up would be useful to see how patients tolerated medium or high demand activities at ten or more years post op.
I'm not sure where I would place rug cleaning on the low-medium-high scale but it was a workout. But the interesting thing is that I usually find greater activity loosens my shoulder up and has a positive effect. It might seem uncomfortable as I am doing it and it might make sleeping a bit more uncomfortable but it does seem to move my recovery forward in the long term.
Now if I can just convince Dear Husband and the doctor of that!
In a 2012 study that included 78 patients with 81 treated shoulders (rTSA) it appears not. The average age was 73, 49 women, 32 men. Average time since surgery was 3.6 years.
Activities were broken down into three categories: low demand, medium demand and high demand. Low demand consisted of things like cooking, baking and driving. Medium demand involved gardening, leaf raking and lawn mowing. High demand included snow shoveling, using a wheelbarrow and dirt shoveling.
There was no difference in activity levels from patients who had undergone other types of shoulder arthroplasty. And a significant number of the rTSA group continued to perform medium and high demand activities. Patients did recognize that participating in high demand chores might lead to discomfort afterwards so there was a short term price to pay. But in general, it did not deter them.
The study suggested long term follow up would be useful to see how patients tolerated medium or high demand activities at ten or more years post op.
I'm not sure where I would place rug cleaning on the low-medium-high scale but it was a workout. But the interesting thing is that I usually find greater activity loosens my shoulder up and has a positive effect. It might seem uncomfortable as I am doing it and it might make sleeping a bit more uncomfortable but it does seem to move my recovery forward in the long term.
Now if I can just convince Dear Husband and the doctor of that!
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