How Long Does It Take To Recover From Shoulder Replacement?

A common question about shoulder replacements is how long it takes to recover. It depends on what you mean by recover.

In terms of daily activities, you can do it right away. You can drive a car, eat, feed yourself, use the restroom, and use your shoulder for all activities of daily living right after the operation, within a couple of days.

We want to wait about three months before lifting anything more than five to ten pounds. You can do all the normal stuff immediately to get through the day. At three months, you can get back to lifting and sporting activities. Then, after around six months, you can regain all your strength.

It depends on what you mean by recovery, the fullest recovery is six months, but fortunately, most of our patients are feeling better than before the operation within a couple of weeks because we moved that arthritic shoulder and gave him a free-moving joint.