Total Shoulder Replacement
Contributors to this thread:Kansas
From: Shawn
11-Apr-19
How is everybody?? I have not posted much but I am about to have my shoulder done tomorrow morning and thought I would do a little follow along. My surgeon who is a bowhunter assures me I will be drawing 60#s by mid July. I am hoping this site and you folks can keep me occupied for the first month or so. I am having the new Simpliciti implant if anyone wants to You-Tube it, it shows several of the procedures. So tomorrow morning at 7:30 the fun begins. Hope to update you all sometime tomorrow!! P.S gonna hunt Iowa this year and give you guys in Kansas a break!! LOL!! Shawn
From: sitO
11-Apr-19
Hope it goes well Shawn, and that the doc's projections are spot on
From: Dale06
11-Apr-19
Listen to the doc and don’t get ahead of what he tells you for rehab. Good luck.
From: Bodyman
11-Apr-19
You've got the right attitude! Most enportent part
From: Kansan
11-Apr-19
I pray that all goes well, and you have a speedy recovery!
From: crestedbutte
11-Apr-19
Shawn....your Physical Therapist is going to be the best thing for you moving forward. Get a good one and get to know those different colored re-hab rubber bands real well before even drawing back your bow. Remember...motion is lotion (best thing for aches/pains and certainly stiffness) and a big darn bottle of Ibuprofen don’t hurt either!
From: writer
11-Apr-19
Listen to your physical therapist and keep up with what they tell you for rehab. My daughter has rehabbed a lot of shoulder replacements, including some for archers. Jeff’s son would be perfect because he’s (almost) a PT and a bowhunter.
From: Shawn
11-Apr-19
Thanks guys, still awake as I am a bit nervous. The surgery don't bother me its getting put under. I have always had a fear of not waking up. I have had 5 operations and only been out for one and that was transsphenoidal brain surgery the others on my knees and shoulders I actually watched on a monitor while they did them. I will follow everything my doctor and PT tells me. I am lucky in that I work in a facility where they do re-hab for everything from shoulders to hips, the whole nine yards. I will keep you posted!! Thanks again! Shawn
From: Zmax
12-Apr-19
Youre gonna be fine and chasin Whitetails this fall, buy your tag and get out here.
From: Slate
12-Apr-19
Good luck with the surgery. Shoulders are no joke. Been there done that.
From: TwoDogs@work
12-Apr-19
I had my left knee replaced 2-26-19. My right one was done 2-19-18 and I am better than I have for a few years. These are not the as a shoulder but both require rehad and the desire to do it right. All I can say is do what the therapist says and if you are like me do not do too much. You therapist can tell you how much to do. My recovery has been so much better than what people I know dealt with 15 or 20 years ago. I am sure yours will also go well. There have been great advances in joint replacement. I assume you will be given some narcotic pain medication. Use it no more than needed. I have a friend that relied on it too much after a hip replacement and as he said you don't want to get to that point. He got off of it but said it was a struggle.
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Out and ready to go home!! Shawn
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Home at last, been home an hour! Pain ok, shoulder was worst than they thought but he got everything anchored great. Said bone structure of 35 year old!! Shawn
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
One for hoping we all shoot one bigger than thus guy!! I got one for later but it's PG-13!!! Shawn
From: Slate
12-Apr-19
Hang in there Shawn. Day by day.
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Ok guys a little update. It hurts a bit but doing basic PT already. Dr called and told me I could take it out of sling and let it dangle to help break up the blood pooling under skin. Quick pic
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Ok guys a little update. It hurts a bit but doing basic PT already. Dr called and told me I could take it out of sling and let it dangle to help break up the blood pooling under skin. Quick pic
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Ok guys a little update. It hurts a bit but doing basic PT already. Dr called and told me I could take it out of sling and let it dangle to help break up the blood pooling under skin. Quick pic
From: Shawn
12-Apr-19
Sorry f'ing cell phone!! One more pic.
From: Shawn
13-Apr-19
Slept pretty good and very little pain today!! Hope it stays this way. Bought a 6.5 Creedmoor and bedded the stock Thursday before surgery. Hopefully doc give me the ok to shoot it next week! Shawn
From: crestedbutte
13-Apr-19
Assume you ain’t a leftee?
From: Shawn
13-Apr-19
Nope a righty but trust me its the bow arm that you don't want done!! Unfortunately it is my bow arm. It got so bad by the end of last season, I had to stand and point bow at the ground and lock my shoulder just to draw it. I actually had a good day, got my KBA membership mailed out so that makes me feel good. I also took a walk down tothe mailbox about a mile round trip. Took a shower and actually had a cocktail while I watched the Masters!! Shawn
From: Thornton
13-Apr-19
Draw it with your teeth like those one armed guys do
From: Shawn
14-Apr-19
Got a new therapist, he is nice and gentle for a young one!! Shawn
From: Kansasclipper
14-Apr-19
Shawn hope you have a speedy recovery. My son will officially be a physical therapist in a few months. He is also a bowhunter and had his shoulder surgery back in December. He plans on never hunting with more than 50 lbs ever again. No reason to shoot 60 lbs with today's. Please don't rush it or push it. Get you a 50 lb bow. I have been shooting 50 lbs for almost 10 years now and my shoulder loves it.
From: Shawn
15-Apr-19
Thanks bud, got a new Traverse and it goes from 38#s to 62#s. I am hoping to settle on 57#s for hunting season. I have killed plenty if deer with recurves in the 40-47# range so I am sure I will be good. I will post more pics later. Looks nasty but healing well! Shawn
From: Kansasclipper
15-Apr-19
I have gotten a complete pass through on every deer I have shot with 50 lbs.
From: Shawn
16-Apr-19
Ok a little update. No pain at incision or the shoulder for that matter. All the pain I am having is from the swelling in my bicep and forearm from the blood pooling. Dr said it will go away within a week or so. Still lots of ice and doing my PT which really helps with the blood pooling. Shawn
From: Shawn
16-Apr-19
I believe man's best friend is just that, Molly making sure I am ok! Shawn
From: Shawn
17-Apr-19
Took a walk this morning, saw about 30 turkeys. We dont open til May 1st. but I should be into birds. Got a 20 gauge with a good choke tube and I can shoot that one-handed. I also bought a 6.5 Creedmoor to give me something to do while I recover. My wife helped me glass bed it and also filled the stock with some bondo for some weight. Put a 4-14 ffp scope on it so hopefully can get some 1000 yd shooting in with it!! Healing slow but sure!! Shawn
From: Shawn
19-Apr-19
A little update. I have been out of the sling most of the day. still no pain just some bruising and swelling. I am starting a few more exercises as well and it seems to be healing well. i got to shoot the 6.5 today as well. only took it out to 300 yards but was shooting 1.5" groups at that far and less than 1/2" at 100. Shawn
From: Kansan
20-Apr-19
Glad to hear everything is going well!
From: Kansasclipper
20-Apr-19
You must have had a much different procedure than my son. He was in a sling for 6 weeks. His was a bankhart and reverse bankhart. It was a major tear.
From: Kansasclipper
20-Apr-19
From: Shawn
20-Apr-19
No major tears just I had been bone n bone foe at least 5 years. They have to cut through the bicep tendon and the sub-scapularus tendon that is what needs to heal. The new ball and socket are ready to go right after surgery. If those two tendons heal quickly and the repair is strong no reason not to being back to normal in a few months. I believe most folks have issues because they have rotator cuff damage that has gotten bad and it takes way longer to heal from those tears rather than something beiing cut and repaired and sutured directly through the bone. Again go look up Anand Murthi and stemless shoulder implant on you-tube. It shows the exact surgery and injury I had repaired. Pretty amazing if ya ask me! Shawn
From: Shawn
24-Apr-19
Update, saw the PA today and he said I am healing very well. I am starting to do a bit f wall walking and a bit more arm movements like pendulum swings. He is a bow hunter as well and told me mid July is a goal for shooting my 60#s. Slow and steady will get me there. Other than some bad nerve pain in my ulna nerve in my elbow running to my hand my shoulder is pain free for the first time in 15 years. I won't be in Kansas this year but 2020, look out I will be there a month!! Shawn
From: Thornton
27-Apr-19
That buck looks a whole lot bigger on the wall than when you shot it Shawn.
From: Shawn
27-Apr-19
Thornton, he officially scores enough to make it as a typical and NT . He grosses 163"s. I wont enter any though. I hope and pray I can shoot more deer in Kansas in the next 10 years. I am getting ready to retire and plan on hunting out there a lot more. Getting better everyday! Shawn
From: Shawn
05-May-19
Another update, I am out of the sling full time now and have started range of motion exercises. I am doing curls with about 10# of weight but with my arm rested on a table. I am actually gonna hunt turkeys tomorrow with the 20 gauge and shoot off a set of sticks. I just put a few toms to bed and am gonna set up about 80 yards away. I shot the gun and the recoil is not an issue. I see the doctor the 15th. and I would think I will be back to work, May 27th. Light duty but it will be nice as I am going nuts sitting around, we have had rain for 10 days straight and I have reloaded enough shells to last me several years. I will post a couple pics. tomorrow! Thanks! Shawn
From: Shawn
14-May-19
Ok just saw my surgeon and I can actually start shooting light weight the end of second week in June as long as my PT goes well. Strength is pretty good just need to get more range of motion. He was amazed at how well it is healing. 20-25#s by mid June and 60#s by mid-july. I go back to him July 9th. He will tell me than if I am good to go but he saw no reason to think otherwise. He took 2 X-rays and the position of the glenoid and humeral head are perfect, now just to free up the tendons and muscles a bit at a time. Shawn
From: Slate
14-May-19
Good to hear
From: Kansan
14-May-19
Good deal!
From: Shawn
18-May-19
Catching Rainbows in SC with my grandson. Son in law works a hatchery down there. Shoulder is doing good!! Shawn
From: Shawn
18-May-19
60 thousand fish in this raceway. I am healing fine and life is good! Shawn
From: Slate
18-May-19
Glad to hear it
From: Shawn
19-May-19
Going fishing again today but all by my lonesome today!! Shawn
From: Shawn
20-May-19
Another update. 5 weeks and 3 days after total shoulder replacement I drew and shot a 28# recurve at my 27.5" draw 5 times. I am still hoping to be at 60#s by mid July. Pretty amazing what modern science can do! Shawn
From: Kansan
20-May-19
Glad to hear things are going well Shawn!
From: Shawn
28-May-19
Shot 30 arrows today over a couple hour period at 40#s. My PT guy and my surgeon are impressed with my progress. I have 85% range of motion back and probably 75% strength. I was told some folks never get 85% range of motion back. The kid helping me with PT is a bow hunter and he pushes me a bit and he has helped me tremendously. He told me my goal of 60#s by mid July will not be an issue. I purchased a real good tens unit and that has helped beyond belief with the healing process. Shawn
From: Slate
28-May-19
Yea those tens units work great I bought one also. Glad to hear it’s going well
From: Mission man
31-May-19
I’m quite envious. I had rotator cuff surgery February 28 and I’m still in rehab. Cannot shoot a bow until early July sometime and I will start with a 20 pound NASP genesis bow . ( I coach NASP at school ) I have found that rotator cuff surgery is a marathon not a sprint in recovery. Frustrating but hope it will be worth it come November.
From: Slate
01-Jun-19
Hang in there mission man it is slow but it will come together. Cuff surgery is no joke
From: Shawn
01-Jun-19
It depends which part of the rotator is damaged. In my total replacement I had no damage to any of the 4 rotators tendons but they have to cut completely through one to dislocate the shoulder to allow access the humeral head and the glenoid. The sub-scapularis is reattached directly to the bone of the humerous my drilling holes and suturing it to it. Mine has healed very quickly and I have no doubt I will be back to all my normal activities by mid July. Mission man take it slow and do as your surgeon or PT says and you will be fine! Shawn
From: Dale06
07-Jun-19
Hope I never have to have that kind of surgery. Someone mentioned 50 pounds is all you need with modern bows. That’s what I’ll shoot for if I have shoulder surgery.
From: Shawn
08-Jun-19
My PT said I was an an anomaly as I am roughly 6 weeks ahead of where most folks are. My sub-scapularus is still a bit weak and the bi-cep tendon too. I am pretty much back to full strength except when holding things straight out, so shooting the bow has been a bit tough but I have another month or so before I want to be at 60#s. It has been tough not being able to do everything I normally do but it won't be long. Shawn
From: Shawn
08-Jun-19
Just got in from seeding two small food plots, been awful wet here this year!! I know you guys have been hammered too!! I managed to shoot one of my recurves today. It is 46#s at 28"s so I was shooting around 44#s. No issues with the trad bows but I cannot shoot the compound as I cannot for the life of me hold it out in front of me. Those muscles cannot handle the 5#s. I can do it but it hurts so I do not want to be stupid so that will have to wait. Planted Soybeans and than a mixed plots of soybeans and peas and mounded up a bunch of spots along the edge and planted pumpkins. We We will see how they do, only half an acre or so for each plot!! Shawn
From: Shawn
28-Jun-19
Been a while since I posted, I am done with PT and have been given the ok to do whatever I feel up too. Doctor said don't be stupid, but I can start playing golf , swimming, and shooting my compound. I started at 38#s a few days ago and today I shot 5 arrows at 62#s. I still have to gain strength and the shoulder is a tad sore but it feels awesome. I am gonna wit to start climbing trees for another month cause I don't want to slip and have to grab hold or something. Its nice to be back and not hurting after 8 years of having a real bad shoulder!! Shawn
From: Kansan
28-Jun-19
Excellent news Shawn! You’ll certainly be ready for the whitetails this fall.
From: writer
28-Jun-19
Congrats, Shawn. 62# is plenty, as you know.
From: Shawn
02-Jul-19
Thanks guys, went way better than I thought. Joint is pain free now just gotta get full strength. I think swimming in the trout stream by my house will help a lot!! Shawn
