Tracking your progress after shoulder surgery can be difficult

Recovering from shoulder surgery is complicated and unsettling, but tracking a few key metrics can help.

Recovering requires following routines, uncomfortable body reactions, and frequent post-op visits to your doctor.

It is essential to take note of specific details about pain, diet, exercise, and sleep.

It may be wise to note these points in a journal or notebook as it may be challenging to remember all the details. 

Doing this will enable you to organize the thoughts and feelings you want to communicate to your physician.

It will also allow your physician to identify any possible problems and address them adequately. First, let’s talk about pain.

Pain After Shoulder Surgery 

Pain is a notable concern after shoulder surgery. You may experience pain at different times of the day.

Do you feel the pain during the day or at night? At what time of the day is the pain worse? 

For example, if the pain worsens at night, you may need more pain medication. So pain medication is essential during post-op recovery.

It will be helpful to rate the level of pain you are feeling on a scale of 0 to 10. The higher the number on the scale, the more pain medication you need. 

Someone who reports that their pain level is at six will need more medication than one who says the pain level is at three. However, you will require less medication as you recover.

It is essential to note the pain medication you take and when you take them. 

Knowing if your pain medications are narcotics, or anti-inflammatory drugs will be good. Be sure to ask the nurse if you are not sure. 

So there are four things to note about your pain experience. When do you feel the pain, what makes the pain worse, how bad is the pain, what medication did you take, and what is the dosage? 

Your Diet After Shoulder Surgery 

Are there any changes in your diet or eating patterns? Do you eat as much as you used to before the surgery? Do you notice a decline in your appetite? 

You may need to take note of the answers to these questions.

There may be other factors affecting your eating pattern, such as the type of medications you are taking.

For example, narcotics — a type of pain medication can make you feel less hungry and eat less.

Your doctor will want to ensure you are getting adequate calories and nutrients to promote recovery.

Your hydration is also essential to track your progress after shoulder surgery.

Adequate hydration is key to recovery after surgery. You need to take note of how much water you are drinking; if you are consuming less or more water.

Exercising After Shoulder Surgery 

Your surgeon may instruct you not to move your arm at all for some time before you begin rehabilitation exercises.

Others may be required to do gentle arm movements a day or two after surgery. 

The key here is to stick to the post-op exercise plan that has been made for you. However, you won’t immediately return to your everyday activities after shoulder surgery.

If your surgeon recommends gentle shoulder movement exercises, the purpose is to restore flexibility and motion to your shoulder. 

A few things to note about exercise are the number of activities and your exercise time, day, and duration.

Then you may need to note any progress or changing levels of discomfort or ease you experience with exercise.

Digestion After Shoulder Surgery 

Digestion-related problems are common after shoulder surgery. 

It is often from the medications you are using, dehydration, or simply the stress of surgery.

For instance, you may get constipated if you take some pain medications like narcotics.

It is crucial to record any changes in your bowel movements, such as diarrhea or constipation.

Sleeping After Shoulder Surgery 

Sleep is essential when healing after shoulder surgery. Quality sleep will help speed healing and soothe the nerves. 

The quality of your sleep may be affected by pain or some of the post-op medications you are taking.

So it’s essential to note down any change in your sleeping time, quality, and duration. 

Final Words 

Tracking your recovery progress in a note and discussing the differences, discomforts, and improvements experienced with your doctor can help speed up your recovery process. 

The physician will be able to use the organized information about how you feel and to serve you better.

It will also save you stress and reduce the chances of possible relapse in your recovery.