When I was younger, I would have scoffed, but two scary situations in my family the past year woke me up, trying to warn/help my friends. Please note what I googled in the first paragraph this morning:
“As the American population continues to age, the incidence of shoulder arthroplasty will continue to increase. Demand for shoulder arthroplasty is estimated to increase by 355–755% by 2030.”
I’m no expert at all on the topic, but reverse shoulder replacement has become the “answer” for people whose rotator cuff, particularly, has been damaged or arthritis has spread too much where there’s no turning back. The shoulder can’t simply be surgically fixed after a period, I didn’t see a definitive time limit, but I speculate a year, then that rotator cuff you can’t see without an MRI will look like a “wiggle worm.” They supposedly have a 70% success rate.
Ages 60-80 are the average time frames for those needing shoulder replacements, but our newest brother-in-law from England needs two replacements and is only in his early 50s with a huge upper body and massive arms from once being a professional window washer, I suppose. Over there, medical treatment is free, but you have a VERY long wait in a country the size of England. In fact, while journeying to America with his new bride, my sister-in-law, during her Tn doctors’ visits recently, he learned from her renowned joint specialist, he actually needed those surgeries when first discovered over there in 2020.🫤Great medical care in England, huh?
Even more personally to me, my late 70ish brother (he and I both have fairly stocky builds at 5-10, 200 pounds) had the surgery in west Ky last spring, but during PT, he separated the shoulder merely pushing down on his truck seat with the elbow of that limb. He’s very active with hunting, fishing, yard work, repair work, etc, but not big on fitness things except walking. Because of pain from that incident he’s never returned to the PT, just toughs things out hunting and fishing. Pretty bleak future unless he at least goes back to PT, but he wasn’t pleased with it. I can tell you it slipped up on him, none of us noticed his arms gradually decreasing in size the last 5 years, did have a big cyst that could have been another culprit. He and his wife have used the same regular doctor forever, and the aging doc has frankly missed some important things on him and his wife.
As a cancer survivor who works out in a fitness center hard twice a week, walks as weather permits and stretches daily because of arthritis pain in 3 major joints, I’ve tried to give them advice, but most people just won’t listen unless you have a stethoscope on your neck! Hope I help somebody with my warning.
“As the American population continues to age, the incidence of shoulder arthroplasty will continue to increase. Demand for shoulder arthroplasty is estimated to increase by 355–755% by 2030.”
I’m no expert at all on the topic, but reverse shoulder replacement has become the “answer” for people whose rotator cuff, particularly, has been damaged or arthritis has spread too much where there’s no turning back. The shoulder can’t simply be surgically fixed after a period, I didn’t see a definitive time limit, but I speculate a year, then that rotator cuff you can’t see without an MRI will look like a “wiggle worm.” They supposedly have a 70% success rate.
Ages 60-80 are the average time frames for those needing shoulder replacements, but our newest brother-in-law from England needs two replacements and is only in his early 50s with a huge upper body and massive arms from once being a professional window washer, I suppose. Over there, medical treatment is free, but you have a VERY long wait in a country the size of England. In fact, while journeying to America with his new bride, my sister-in-law, during her Tn doctors’ visits recently, he learned from her renowned joint specialist, he actually needed those surgeries when first discovered over there in 2020.🫤Great medical care in England, huh?
Even more personally to me, my late 70ish brother (he and I both have fairly stocky builds at 5-10, 200 pounds) had the surgery in west Ky last spring, but during PT, he separated the shoulder merely pushing down on his truck seat with the elbow of that limb. He’s very active with hunting, fishing, yard work, repair work, etc, but not big on fitness things except walking. Because of pain from that incident he’s never returned to the PT, just toughs things out hunting and fishing. Pretty bleak future unless he at least goes back to PT, but he wasn’t pleased with it. I can tell you it slipped up on him, none of us noticed his arms gradually decreasing in size the last 5 years, did have a big cyst that could have been another culprit. He and his wife have used the same regular doctor forever, and the aging doc has frankly missed some important things on him and his wife.
As a cancer survivor who works out in a fitness center hard twice a week, walks as weather permits and stretches daily because of arthritis pain in 3 major joints, I’ve tried to give them advice, but most people just won’t listen unless you have a stethoscope on your neck! Hope I help somebody with my warning.
