+ What do I do with my dressing?

• Cover it when you shower for the first 3 days and change it if it gets wet or dirty. You can remove the dressing after day 3.
• You might have a small incision in your armpit. If so, that dressing is waterproof, but if water gets underneath you should change it. You can remove the dressing after day 3-5.
• Leave the Steri-strips in place until they fall off on their own.

+ What are my restrictions?

• Wear your sling whenever you are up and around and while you sleep for 6 weeks.
• No lifting anything with this arm, no reaching up or out, and no using the arm to push yourself up out of a chair for 6 weeks.
• Do not stretch the shoulder into rotation outward (the position it dislocated in) beyond what your physical therapist allows for the first 6 weeks.
• If the back of your labrum was repaired (a posterior labral repair), the precautions point the other way: no reaching across your body, no pushing with the arm, and no stretching into rotation inward or across the body for 8 weeks.
• If your biceps tendon was moved at the same time (biceps tenodesis), no lifting or curling with that arm for 3 months.

+ Do I have stitches? When do they come out??

• You have a few stitches, usually 3-6, that will be taken out at your first post-operative visit. Don’t worry, they don’t hurt when they come out!

+ Can I put lotions or anything on my incisions?

• No. Please do not put any lotions, creams, oils, antibiotic ointments or anything on the incisions until they are perfectly healed and the scab is gone.

+ When can I shower?

• You can shower immediately if you cover the dressing for the first 3 days. After 3 days, you can remove the dressing and let the water run down over the incisions. DO NOT scrub the incisions or submerge them underwater.

+ How long do I wear my sling?

• For 6 weeks after surgery, whenever you are up and around and while you sleep. It is the annoying part of this recovery, and it is also what lets the repair heal to the bone.

+ Can I take my sling off?

• Yes, once the nerve block has worn off and you have control of the arm again (usually a day or two): to shower, use a computer, watch TV and eat, with your elbow kept close to your side. Do not swing the arm around while it is out.
• Your hand, wrist and elbow are free to move the whole time.

+ What do I take for pain?

• You will be given a prescription for narcotic pain medication after surgery (usually Percocet/Oxycodone).
• However, Ibuprofen and Tylenol work great. You can start taking Ibuprofen every 8 hours starting immediately after surgery to minimize the amount of narcotic you will need to take as long as you have no stomach ulcer issues, kidney issues, and you are not on any blood thinners.
• The Percocet has 325 mg of Tylenol in it already, so if you are taking Tylenol, just be sure that you do not exceed 3000 mg of it in a 24 h period.

+ What medications will I be on?

• Aspirin - to prevent blood clots. Take daily for about 3 weeks
• An opioid for pain, usually Percocet (Oxycodone)
• Zofran - for nausea
• Colace - stool softener

+ Will I have a nerve block?

• Yes
• The nerve block usually lasts 1-3 days and wears off slowly

+ Do I need to wear my sling when I sleep?

• Yes. For the first 6 weeks after surgery.
• Most people find it most comfortable to sleep in a recliner or build a pillow ramp to sit up more in bed.

+ When do I follow up after my surgery?

• Between 7-14 days afterwards. This appointment should already be made for you, but you can adjust it if needed.

+ When should I start going to physical therapy?

• Within the first few days after surgery. The first visits are about the shoulder blade, neck, elbow and hand, plus gentle pendulum swings. Your therapist starts moving the shoulder for you (passive motion) at about 2 weeks, within the limits on your protocol.
• You will have all the paperwork you need for PT when you leave the hospital.

+ How long will I be going to physical therapy?

• For about 4-6 months

+ How frequently do I need to go to physical therapy?

• 1-3 times/week initially, but this will be spaced out over time as you progress.

+ What are some red flags after my surgery that I should be looking for?

• Fever over 101.4 F
• Calf swelling or severe calf pain
• Increasing redness around the incision
• Pus draining from the incision. It is normal for some drainage from the incisions for a few days after surgery.
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing

+ How long is the recovery?

• As a general rule, you will be feeling okay at the 6 week mark when the sling comes off, fine at the 3 month mark, and very good at 4-6 months. The shoulder keeps improving for a year.
• The first 6 weeks are about protecting the repair while it heals, and the next 6 weeks are about getting the motion back. Strengthening starts at 3 months after surgery.
• For a stage-by-stage look at what you can do and when, see the shoulder stabilization recovery roadmap. If you have already had surgery, enter your surgery date and it will show you where you are and what comes next.

+ When can I sleep on my side?

• After 6 weeks, once the sling is off and as soon as it feels comfortable to do so.

+ When can I swim?

• You CANNOT get into a pool or hot tub until your incisions are perfectly healed, usually around 4 weeks. After that, you may get into a pool, but no swimming strokes until your physical therapist clears them, usually around 4 months. Swimming as a sport comes back around 6 months.

+ When can I run?

• You will work with us and your physical therapist to determine this, but it’s usually around 3 months.

+ When can I return to sports?

• You will work with us and your physical therapist to determine this, but it’s usually around 4-6 months. Nobody plays competitive sports before 4 months.
• As a reference, a throwing progression and skiing start at about 5 months. Overhead and serving sports, swimming, and contact sports come back at about 6 months, once your motion is full and your strength is back.
• Two gym rules for good: no lat pulldowns behind the neck, and no wide-grip bench press. Both put the shoulder in the exact position it used to come out of.

+ When can I drive?

• When you are out of the sling and off pain medication. Be sure to practice before driving again.
• This is usually at least 6 weeks after the operation.

+ When can I type on a computer?

• You are allowed to come out of your sling and type on a computer in a comfortable position as soon as the nerve block has worn off and you have control of the arm (usually a day or two).

+ When can I go back to work?

• Depends on your job. If you can perform your job while abiding by the restrictions, you can go back as soon as you feel able to.
• We recommend not making any important decisions while on the pain medication.

+ What if my shoulder dislocates again?

• It can happen. Let us know right away: a repeat dislocation can chip bone off the socket, and bone loss is what changes the plan.