Shoulder Surgery Postoperative Instructions
Diet
- Begin with liquids and light foods (jello, soups, etc.)
- Progress to your normal diet if you are not nauseated
For 24 Hours Following Surgery
- Be in the care of a responsible adult
- Do not drive or operate machinery
- Do not make important personal or business decisions or sign legal documents
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages
Activities
- Wear your sling for post-operative care
- Your care team will note if you may or may not discontinue wearing your sling the first few days after surgery as your pain subsides.
- Your care team will note if you do or do not have to wear your sling to sleep
- General sling wear is 4-6 weeks. These time frames are adjusted per patient and will be discussed at your follow up appointment.
Exercise
- Loosen or remove your sling to bend and straighten elbow with your arm at your side 50 times per day.
- Get up and walk as much as possible the first post-operative day.
Wound Care
- Change dressing in 48 hours and place bandages over incisions. You may use “waterproof” (Tegaderm or Nexcare) found at local drug stores so you can shower in 48 hours.
- Keep the surgical incisions dry for a full 7 days.
- Ice your shoulder for the first 48-72 hours at least. Continuing after this may help decrease your pain.
Medications
- Strong oral pain medication has been prescribed for the first few days. Use only as directed. Do not combine with alcoholic beverages.
- When taking pain medication, be careful as you walk, or climb stairs. Mild dizziness is not unusual.
- Your care team will note the amount of ASPIRIN (enteric coated) you should take per day and how many weeks you should take it.
- Do not take medications that have not been prescribed by one of your physicians.
- Your care team will confirm the medications you should be taking.
When to Call Your Physician
- Increasing swelling or numbness
- Unrelenting pain
- Fevers or chills, increasing redness around incision
- Color change of foot or ankle, calf pain, calf swelling
- Chest pain, rapid heart rate, rapid respiratory rate
- Continuous drainage or bleeding from incisions. A small amount of drainage is expected.
- Any other worrisome condition
Follow-Up Care
Please call to schedule a follow-up appointment (if not already done) for 7-10 days postoperatively at 978-818-6350.
- Begin with liquids and light foods (jello, soups, etc.)
- Progress to your normal diet if you are not nauseated
- Be in the care of a responsible adult
- Do not drive or operate machinery
- Do not make important personal or business decisions or sign legal documents
- Do not drink alcoholic beverages
- Wear your sling for post-operative care
- Your care team will note if you may or may not discontinue wearing your sling the first few days after surgery as your pain subsides.
- Your care team will note if you do or do not have to wear your sling to sleep
- General sling wear is 4-6 weeks. These time frames are adjusted per patient and will be discussed at your follow up appointment.
- Loosen or remove your sling to bend and straighten elbow with your arm at your side 50 times per day.
- Get up and walk as much as possible the first post-operative day.
- Change dressing in 48 hours and place bandages over incisions. You may use “waterproof” (Tegaderm or Nexcare) found at local drug stores so you can shower in 48 hours.
- Keep the surgical incisions dry for a full 7 days.
- Ice your shoulder for the first 48-72 hours at least. Continuing after this may help decrease your pain.
- Strong oral pain medication has been prescribed for the first few days. Use only as directed. Do not combine with alcoholic beverages.
- When taking pain medication, be careful as you walk, or climb stairs. Mild dizziness is not unusual.
- Your care team will note the amount of ASPIRIN (enteric coated) you should take per day and how many weeks you should take it.
- Do not take medications that have not been prescribed by one of your physicians.
- Your care team will confirm the medications you should be taking.
- Increasing swelling or numbness
- Unrelenting pain
- Fevers or chills, increasing redness around incision
- Color change of foot or ankle, calf pain, calf swelling
- Chest pain, rapid heart rate, rapid respiratory rate
- Continuous drainage or bleeding from incisions. A small amount of drainage is expected.
- Any other worrisome condition
Please call to schedule a follow-up appointment (if not already done) for 7-10 days postoperatively at 978-818-6350.