Surgery for Shoulder

No experience with a broken shoulder but I too have fallen up the stairs. Banged my knee hard into the riser when my heel caught the hem of my pants while rushing for the train.

You have friends in the sisterhood of clumsy.

F. B.

I would certainly get more than one opinion if someone is suggesting the possibility of surgery. Go to specialists.

My hubby had a rotator cuff issue after a car accident in 1995 and our ortho Dr.'s are the type who will go to surgery as a last resort. Hubby did Physical Therapy for a few months and exercised at home. He never had the surgery and he was back to playing championship golf within the year.

I also believe that surgery is different for each person. Your health emotionally and physically has a lot to do with your recovery time.

Good luck.

I didn't have anything broken, but I had a torn rotator cuff that my mother elected to let heal on its own. Worst decision ever. I still can't completely use my right arm. (no pushups, could never hold the kids on that side, still aches if I do anything active with it). I would opt for surgery, especially since it's on your dominant side.

I would get the medical opinion on what to do and go from there.

Ouch! For you second opinion, consider New England Baptist hospital. They are tops for orthopedics in the area and fairly close to you. Hope you heal quickly!

I've only broken a toe and nose...I know that before I would have any surgery, I would get a second opinion!

Sorry you are going through this! Hope you heal fast!

No advice but I sure hope you feel better soon. I am recovering from major knee surgery (my tibia bone was surgically broken and multiple holes were drilled into my femur bone) and the recovery just sucks!!!

A second opinion never hurt anyone though. I also would ask the surgeon how many of these surgeries he/she has performed.

my best friend dumped her bike (motorcycle) and damaged her shoulder. She tried to let it heal on its own. It didn't. She had the surgery and recovery was about 6 weeks - she's back on her bike and doing everything she did before.

She has a scar about 4" long on her clavicle area and is good.

Not sure what you broke but I sympathize with you trying to function (and type) with just one hand!

My mother broke her shoulder - the "ball" part of the arm bone that goes into the "socket" of the shoulder. Is that what you did? She saw an orthopedist at UMass hospital in Worcester, who took one look at the X-ray and had her see a shoulder specialist there. She had the rod put in - her's went into the arm bone and formed a new "ball" for the socket. She was quite elderly but in good shape and did extremely well in the surgery. He had to be immobilized (sling) for several weeks, then she started PT for a few more weeks but still couldn't do weight-bearing activities for 8 weeks. But she got great flexibility and range of motion.

If you're in Waltham, you have the advantage of tremendous hospitals in the area, from Boston to Framingham to Worcester. So I would definitely see the orthopedic surgeon but you can consider asking for a shoulder specialist within the orthopedic specialty if you want to. Depends on what your insurance is and where they would send you. If UMass interests you, PM me and I'll give you the name of her surgeon (head of the department). But you can choose many other closer hospitals if it's easier.

One thing to consider is some OT to help you learn to do things with one arm immobilized, especially if your healthy right arm is not your dominant arm. My mother was in a rehab facility for a while but also had people come to her apartment to work with her. That's in addition to the PT you will need. My advice is to absolutely do the exercises, once you are cleared to do them, even if they are painful. My mother did very well but go tired of the exercises, so she lost a lot of ground and no longer has the range of motion she could've/should've.

Good luck!

I'd get a second opinion and then err on the side of conservative measures.

Lots of malpractice in the world of orthopedic surgeons so pick good one!

i would take a second opinion over surgery. but i don't do well with needles and medications for numbing...
(bp drops dangerously low when getting epidurals and novicaine for dental work)

My husband broke his shoulder and it healed up, but he had to keep it VERY still so that it could knit. He even wore his contraption to bed (yeah, miserable.)

There is a big difference in being ABLE to let it heal on it's own and HAVING to put a rod into it. You need to ask really pointed questions about it. You don't want to have a surgery you don't really need. You also don't want to not do a surgery that is best for your shoulder's overall future function. Find out definitively which one...

My mom did after a bad fall and she was 70? maybe close to 80? She did fine. The only thing she felt was the shot they put in her neck to numb her arm? She did have some dementia but the experience she described sounded right. I think they gave her a shot of Novocaine, we all know how those can feel.

So before doing it you might ask about that. If there is a shot then you can be prepared for it or ask them to sedate you before you have it.

She healed and did fine afterwards. I think it was a relatively easy surgery for her.