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I had a partial shoulder replacement six months ago and I'm not happy with the results. My shoulder is stiff, sore, and painful all the time. It's worse than before the operation. I'm ready to just go for a total shoulder replacement. What do you advise?

About 20 percent of the patients who have a partial replacement or hemiarthroplasty cross over to a total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Pain and stiffness are the reasons given most often for the conversion.

Most patients cross over after having the hemiarthroplasty two years. A few patients have converted as early as 12 months. Most surgeons would advise continued rehab between six and 12 months. Bone healing can take a full year.

Muscle and joint stiffness is common with aging and can make for a longer rehab process. Review all other risk factors. Eliminate all possible causes of slow healing such as tobacco use, inactivity, or poor control if you have diabetes. Nutrition can also play a key role in healing.

Reference: 

Dianne Bryant, MSc, PhD, et al. a Comparison of Pain, Strength, Range of Motion, and Functional Outcomes After Hemiarthroplasty and Total Shoulder Arthroplasty in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder. In The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. September 2005. Vol. 87-A. No. 9. Pp. 1947-1956.

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