I just read an article about rTSA that makes me concerned. The author said that if you were too active the implant would not last as long. The patient who asked was into exercise and even suggested weight lifting was part of his athletic program. The doctor's reply was based on that kind of activity, I suppose.
But now that I am doing so well, now that my shoulder seems finally fully healed and functional, I am using my right arm in all the normal ways. The only things I can't do involve reaching behind my back.Lifting, stretching, pulling, pushing, all those activities are pretty much back to normal. I wouldn't claim to be more active than the average woman, just maybe more active than the average woman of a certain age.
The last time I saw my surgeon was my six month checkup. When I asked if there was anything I should not do he only said "don't fall." He didn't say "don't use a hand drill and a screw driver to install a shelf." He did not mention staying off a ladder to reach the glass flower frog collection. Trying to scrape up whatever it was that melted and refroze on the floor of the freezer under the pull out drawer didn't come up in conversation. At six months post op I could not imagine ever doing any of those things again.
But now I can imagine and do it. So asking about those kind of activities will be at the top of my list when I see him in June for my one year post op visit. Now the question will be, if he says you are doing too much, cut back...am I willing? After almost two years (first year post fracture - second year post surgery) of such limited use, I am reveling in being able to use my arm again and don't want to play the invalid any more than I have to.
By the way, I am breaking my rule of no middle of the night posts. I hope this does not turn into a page full of gibberish.
But now that I am doing so well, now that my shoulder seems finally fully healed and functional, I am using my right arm in all the normal ways. The only things I can't do involve reaching behind my back.Lifting, stretching, pulling, pushing, all those activities are pretty much back to normal. I wouldn't claim to be more active than the average woman, just maybe more active than the average woman of a certain age.
The last time I saw my surgeon was my six month checkup. When I asked if there was anything I should not do he only said "don't fall." He didn't say "don't use a hand drill and a screw driver to install a shelf." He did not mention staying off a ladder to reach the glass flower frog collection. Trying to scrape up whatever it was that melted and refroze on the floor of the freezer under the pull out drawer didn't come up in conversation. At six months post op I could not imagine ever doing any of those things again.
But now I can imagine and do it. So asking about those kind of activities will be at the top of my list when I see him in June for my one year post op visit. Now the question will be, if he says you are doing too much, cut back...am I willing? After almost two years (first year post fracture - second year post surgery) of such limited use, I am reveling in being able to use my arm again and don't want to play the invalid any more than I have to.
By the way, I am breaking my rule of no middle of the night posts. I hope this does not turn into a page full of gibberish.
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