What are tips for showering after shoulder surgery?
Introduction
What are the tips to showering after shoulder surgery? Whey you can shower after surgery varies on what type of surgery is performed. Itis always a little difficult to adjust to your certain needs when wanting to take a shower. After shoulder surgery, it is hard because it hurts to move your surgery arm to wash it. It even hurts just let it hang in the shower. Hopefully, these next tips will help you be able to take a more comfortable shower..
Tip #1: beach ball
Typically the beach ball is best for when you are just a few days out from surgery and feel the most comfortable in your immobilizer.. With the beach ball, you can slide it under your arm so you can have it close to the position that you had your arm in when it was in the immobilizer. The beach ball should only be partially inflated. This helps positioning the ball and it keeping it in one place. The beach ball is going to be able to let you rest and not have to lift your arm, and also let you be able to wash your armpit in the shower.
Tip #2: Mesh sling
Once you get a few weeks out of surgery and feel that you do not need that wedge anymore. When you can relax your arm, the next best option might be the mesh sling. http://amazon/meshsling. The mesh sling will act as a regular sling, with the plus side being that it’s mesh so you can take it in the shower. The mesh sling will let you be able to rest your arm and it will hold it. The mesh dries quickly so it will be ready for the next days shower. .
Tip #3: Pump soap
If you have your arm in a sling, it will be much easier to get shampoo or conditioner out or a pump instead of having to use a traditional soap bottle. You won’t have to flip it upside down and squeeze it onto your hand. The pump soap gives you the ability to get soap with one hand, which makes for much easier showering after your shoulder surgery.
Tip #4: Shower chair
A shower feels amazing while recovering from shoulder surgery, especially early on. When you are taking pain medicine and still feeling the effects of anesthesia having a place to sit is important. Its nice to have somewhere to sit down in the shower, just in case you start to feel wobbly or light-headed. There are shower-specific chairs that you can buy. It most likely won’t be necessary considering you will probably will only need to rely on that chair for about a week or so. With that being said, any plastic chair or stool would do just fine. Just make sure it is sturdy and slip resistant.
Tip 5: Aid
A final quick tip would also to have an aid, a helper. Someone that you are comfortable with enough to help you get in and out of the shower. Also to help you get dressed. It is difficult to be able to get in and out of the shower and the house alone. It is nice to have someone help you and to be by your side, at least early on.
Conclusion:
Showering after surgery can be quite difficult, especially when you can only use one arm. If you are having any problems, feel free to try any of these tips. We have lots of great info on recovery. Rotator Cuff Surgery. If you have more questions, check out our youtube channel Rotator Cuff Expert. Thanks for reading!