Am I a Candidate for Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Surgery should be the last resort, and your shoulder is no exception. While shoulder replacement surgery provides a powerful tool to relieve pain, it requires an involved procedure and a fairly lengthy recovery period. 

Karl Siebuhr, MD, and our team can help you decide if it’s right for you. As a specialist in shoulder pain, Dr. Siebuhr works with you to explore all of your treatment options. That helps him determine if you’re a good candidate for shoulder replacement surgery. 

If your shoulder regularly hurts, come see Dr. Siebuhr at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida.

Try conservative treatment first

Even if your shoulder has hurt for a long time, you don’t need to jump straight to surgery. Instead, Dr. Siebuhr explores less invasive treatment options with you first. That could mean physical therapy, medication, or regenerative medicine like platelet-rich plasma (PRP). 

You’re not a good candidate for shoulder replacement unless you’ve tried other options first. If conservative treatments don’t bring you relief, Dr. Siebuhr may recommend scaling up treatment to surgery. 

When it’s time for shoulder replacement surgery

Long-standing shoulder pain that doesn’t respond to other treatments usually makes you a good candidate for shoulder replacement. Dr. Siebuhr may recommend a total, partial, or reverse joint replacement to bring you relief.

By fixing the problem parts of your shoulder joint, he can often help people with:

• Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Avascular necrosis (shoulder bone blood supply loss)
• Rotator cuff tear arthropathy 
• Severe shoulder fractures

Dr. Siebuhr also offers surgery to correct shoulder replacements where the artificial joint has failed. 

Things that make you a good candidate for shoulder replacement

The actual problem with your shoulder is the first box to tick for shoulder replacement candidacy. But that’s not all. You should meet some other criteria, too. 

Being generally healthy

Shoulder replacement is a major surgery. Optimal outcomes afterward depend on your body being able to heal. For that, Dr. Siebuhr typically recommends the procedure to people who are nonsmokers and in generally good health. 

Having realistic expectations

Shoulder replacement can dramatically reduce your pain. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get full restoration of your shoulder function, though. Depending on the type of replacement procedure you get, you might have limitations on how far you can lift your arm or how much weight you can carry. 

Dr. Siebuhr can tell you what to expect. 

Being willing to complete rehab

For the best outcome, it helps to strengthen your shoulder beforehand, then complete rehab with it afterward. That usually means weeks or months of physical therapy (PT). During PT, you’ll do targeted exercises that help to support your replacement joint by strengthening surrounding soft tissues. They also improve your range of motion and prevent stiffness. 

You’re a good candidate for shoulder replacement if you're willing to stick with the rehabilitation program that Dr. Siebuhr recommends. 

We can help you explore all of the factors that go into deciding if shoulder replacement is right for you. To get started, call our Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida office or request an appointment online.