Preparation For Your Orthopedic Shoulder Surgery

Health & Medical Blog

If you have an orthopedic shoulder surgery scheduled soon, then you will need to prepare yourself for the procedure. This includes getting your home ready for the period immediately following the operation. There are a few key things that you should be doing, so keep reading to learn what they are. 

Get A Comfortable Chair

Many of the different shoulder surgeries that include rotator cuff and internal bursa procedures will require you to remain in a partial or full sitting position after the procedure. This means that you will need to remain upright when resting and you should purchase a comfortable chair for this. This is necessary to keep gravity and your own body from placing too much pressure on the shoulder that had surgery. Lying down after the surgery will typically be quite painful.

Your orthopedic professional will likely inform you to keep your body at a specific angle when reclining. So, your chair or recliner should allow for this. Also, your chair should be cushioned. If it is not, then you should place one to two pillows behind your shoulder when relaxing. 

If you do not want to purchase a dedicated chair for after your operation, then you can buy a post-surgical lounger instead. These devices are made with high backs and cushioned armrests so you can remain in the correct position when resting.

Make Sure You Can Use Everyday Objects With One Hand

Before your surgery is the best time to try out some of the common objects in your home to make sure you can use them with one hand. If not, then you will need to buy some things that you are able to use. For example, can you bathe and brush your teeth with one hand? If not, then a few products that may help you, including an electric toothbrush, toothpaste with a pop-open top, and a grab bar on the inside of the shower that is attached with a strong suction cup, if you don't want it to be permanent.

Also, you want to make sure that your food containers can be opened with one hand. You should practice using utensils with the non-surgical hand. If you eat a lot of foods, like fresh vegetables, fruits, and salads that need to be cut up, then think about doing this in advance. Using sandwich bags to store the cut items is a good choice, and you can also freeze foods that you premake so you can heat them up later on. 

For more information on preparing for orthopedic surgery, contact a medical center like Northern Care Inc Prosthetics & Orthotics.

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2 July 2019