Shoulder Replacement?

[Dan Kelly]

Any player out there in PSG-land go through a shoulder replacement? I am having my left shoulder replaced (due to osteoarthritis) in early February. I am wondering how soon I can get back to playing and how the replacement will affect technique related issues.

Anybody have any experience they can share?

If not... how about some shoulder jokes?

[mtulbert]

Dan
Had my left shoulder replaced about five years ago. Surgery not bad..rehab takes a while. While I did not regain full motion I can play without any issues at all.

PM Me if you want more details; I would be glad to talk with you

Mark T.

[Jerry Malvern]

I had my right shoulder replaced in January 2007, Played my first gig post op 6 weeks later. PM me if you wanna hear about mine.

[Ron Pruter]

My wife had a reverse shoulder replacement 5.5 months ago. Still can't lift her elbow to the horizontal and has noticeable loss of strength. Just finishing her second round of PT. At least she can now sleep pain free and is just now, driving again. Not quite what we were expecting. RP

[Dan Kelly]

Thanks for the replies!

Mark, I PM'd you my contact information. It would be great to spend a few minutes talking about your experiences. I am glad to hear you can play without any issues. Encouraging!

Jerry, it is encouraging to hear you were back playing so soon. I will PM you my contact info.

Ron, I am glad to hear about the pain free sleep. That is a milestone I am looking forward to. Prayers for your wife's continued recovery.

On the face of it, this may be an opportunity for a concentrated effort on improving right hand technique. Maybe, it could be a time to advance PSG Theory knowledge. I dunno. We will see.

Thank you for the replies!

[Ross Shafer]

Good luck on your surgery Dan, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to go bionic on at least one of my shoulders. I've broken them both in the last 10 years or so and complete recovery from that seems like a distant dream.

Will you ask your Doc if he offers quantity discounts?

[Dan Kelly]

Hello All:

The total shoulder replacement went very well. It has been about 10 days since the operation and most of the pain has subsided. The first round of PT is starting in a couple of days after the stitches are removed.

Regarding technique, I plan on finally memorizing PFs permutations, and just concentrate on RH technique. PF's new course on "Modes" will be tackled, as well.

Again, regarding technique, many players, (Buck Reid stresses this) maintain that the elbow of the left (bar hand) arm should be anchored to the rib cage. Well, that is where my sling holds my arm/ elbow anyway, so I thought I would give the bar hand a try. Surprisingly, things work well as long as I stay above the 2nd or F# fret. Reaching too far to the left is somewhat painful and restricted by the sling.

I am still going to take it slow and try not to do something stupid by pushing things along too quickly (one of my many fatal flaws). But I thought it was interesting and unexpected. Clearing this with my doctor when the stitches come out will be a priority. I kinda think we all know what he is going to say, but I gonna axe him anyway!

Thanks for all the advice and PMs and kind thoughts leading up to this! As Ross would say, you guys are the "Bestest!"

[Dan Kelly]

After 13 weeks of recovery, I detached my sub-scap muscle / tendon from the prosthetic. I did this by increasing the weight of a particular and recommended exercise too much.

So now, after a successful repair, I am back at "square one" with 4 weeks in the sling and 4 months of rehab.

But the real reason for this update (especially because it is posted in the "Pedal Steel" section) is to address technique changes related to the original shoulder repair. Hopefully others will be able to benchmark their comparative experience given a similar shoulder replacement.

During and after the first 4 weeks in the sling, practicing and playing was not too difficult. Fatigue in the left arm (bar hand arm) set in rather quickly though. Initially, I could play / practice for 10 to 20 minutes... and that was it for the day. As the recovery progressed, say by the end of the 8th week, I could play / practice for an hour... but I was very tired after that. By week 13, no fatigue. I played at the RISGA Steel Jam for 3 hours - no problem.

At first, bar movements were a little shaky, inaccurate and abrupt. These issues straightened themselves out quickly. Muscle memory returned and intonation issues improved. Right hand technique and pedal / lever coordination suffered a little because of the reduction of seat time, initially.

Toward the end of the 13 week recovery period, I did notice an improvement in the quality of playing over and above from where I was before the surgery. There was a sense of a little more confidence and fluidity in my playing. It is hard to describe but I have experienced this during other instances when I have put down an instrument for a while and have come back to it. Curious.

During the recovery period I had time to concentrate on more Music Theory. Bryan Clark's (Modern Music Masters) classes were / are a big help and taking time to dive into particular topics on YT proved helpful. So there is another silver lining. So, I am now back to looking for silver linings in my current situation! More updates to Follow.

[Ross Shafer]

Yo Danny Boy, I'm super stoked that your recovery has gone so well...your Sierra missed you! Your success gives me hope! I've broken both shoulders and they both talk to me on a regular basis....next they'll yell...when the screaming starts I'll get in line for some new parts! Big Bad Bestest to you and Marian!

[Dan Kelly]

Thanks Ross! When the time comes for your turn, I wish you the best of luck, a smooth operation and a speedy recovery. It really is a blessing to be freed up from the chronic pain. You will love it!