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Shoulder Replacement Companion

Applied Companion

Shoulder Replacement Companion

A structured companion for shoulder replacement recovery, with support for precautions, phased progression, daily routines, symptom awareness, and care-team follow-through.

Format digital
Access $39.00
Item ID acd002
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Educational support only. This resource complements, not replaces, provider instructions, facility policy, or medical advice.

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Shoulder Replacement Surgery Recovery Guide

Shoulder replacement surgery can leave many patients asking one simple question: “What happens next?”

Shoulder replacement may be recommended when shoulder arthritis, fracture, rotator cuff disease, or joint damage causes pain, stiffness, and loss of function that no longer improves with conservative care. Depending on the condition and surgical plan, patients may receive an anatomic total shoulder replacement or a reverse shoulder replacement.

Recovery after shoulder replacement occurs gradually as the shoulder heals, mobility improves, and strength and function return. Postoperative rehabilitation is widely recognized as an important part of recovery following shoulder arthroplasty.

Evidence-informed rehabilitation programs typically follow staged progression designed to protect the surgical repair early while gradually restoring shoulder range of motion, muscle control, strength, and functional movement.

Because recovery unfolds step-by-step over several months, many patients benefit from having a clear recovery guide that explains each stage and helps track progress between appointments.

Shoulder Replacement Anatomy — Simplified

Understanding the shoulder joint can make the recovery process far less confusing.

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that allows the arm to move in many directions. When arthritis, injury, rotator cuff damage, or joint degeneration affects the shoulder, movement can become painful, stiff, or limited.

Shoulder replacement surgery removes damaged joint surfaces and replaces them with artificial components designed to reduce pain and improve function. In an anatomic shoulder replacement, the replacement follows the natural ball-and-socket structure. In a reverse shoulder replacement, the ball-and-socket relationship is changed to help other muscles support shoulder movement when the rotator cuff is not functioning normally.

The Shoulder Replacement Applied Companion includes simplified explanations designed to help patients understand:

  • The basic structure of the shoulder joint
  • Why shoulder replacement may be recommended
  • How anatomic and reverse shoulder replacement differ
  • Why precautions matter during early healing
  • Why rehabilitation exercises are important during recovery

These explanations are designed to make complex medical concepts easier to understand for patients and caregivers.

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Clinical Confidence

Evidence behind this resource

20 sources
Evidence-informed

Guidance is connected to the CarePlanRx™ reference database.

AMA-style references

Sources are formatted for clinical review and transparency.

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View clinical references 20 sources
  1. AAOS. Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis: Clinical Practice Guideline. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2020. https://www.aaos.org/globalassets/quality-and-practice-resources/glenohumeral/glenohumeral-osteoarthritis-cpg.pdf Source
  2. American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. Position and consensus statements applicable to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty perioperative care. American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons. 2020-2024. https://ases-assn.org/ Source
  3. Ascione F, et al. Rehabilitation after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: systematic review. Musculoskeletal Surgery. 2021. doi:10.1007/s12306-021-00704-1 Source
  4. Best MJ, et al. Thirty-day complications after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: NSQIP analysis. JSES International. 2021. https://www.jsesinternational.org/article/S2666-6383(21)00064-2/fulltext Source
  5. Brolin TJ, et al. Return to activities after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: systematic review. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2022. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(22)00103-9/fulltext Source
  6. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Rehabilitation Guidelines. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. 2022. https://www.brighamandwomens.org/assets/BWH/patients-and-families/rehabilitation-services/pdfs/shoulder-reverse-arthroplasty-bwh.pdf Source
  7. Erickson BJ, et al. Early motion versus immobilization after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: comparative outcomes. JSES International. 2020. https://www.jsesinternational.org/article/S2666-6383(20)30016-0/fulltext Source
  8. Gobezie R, et al. Subscapularis and external rotation precautions after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2020. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(19)30935-6/fulltext Source
  9. Hospital for Special Surgery. Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Rehabilitation Protocol. Hospital for Special Surgery. 2023. https://www.hss.edu/rehab-reverse-shoulder-arthroplasty-rehabilitation.asp Source
  10. Levy JC, et al. Deltoid tensioning and rehabilitation implications after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2020. https://journals.lww.com/jaaos/Fulltext/2020/01010/Reverse_Total_Shoulder_Arthroplasty.4.aspx Source
  11. Massachusetts General Hospital. Rehabilitation Protocol for Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty. Massachusetts General Hospital. https://www.massgeneral.org/assets/mgh/pdf/orthopaedics/sports-medicine/physical-therapy/rehabilitation-protocol-for-reverse-shoulder-arthroplasty.pdf Source
  12. Mulieri P, et al. Outcomes benchmarking guides for post-operative milestones after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2010. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(09)00430-1/fulltext Source
  13. Puzzitiello RN, et al. Patient-reported outcome measures after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: systematic review. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2022. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(22)00366-4/fulltext Source
  14. Ricchetti ET, et al. Subscapularis management and rehabilitation implications after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2020. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(19)30603-2/fulltext Source
  15. Simovitch RW, et al. Early complications after primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: multicenter study. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American Volume. 2020. https://journals.lww.com/jbjsjournal/Fulltext/2020/02050/Early_Complications_After_Primary_Reverse_Total.6.aspx Source
  16. University of Colorado. Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Rehabilitation Protocol. University of Colorado. 2021. https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/docs/librariesprovider65/shoulder-and-elbow/pt-protocols/rtsa-rehab.pdf Source
  17. University of Virginia. Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Physical Therapy Protocol. University of Virginia. 2024. https://med.virginia.edu/orthopaedic-surgery/wp-content/uploads/sites/242/2024/09/Reverse-Shoulder-Arthroplasty-PT-Protocol.pdf Source
  18. AAOS Shoulder and Elbow Registry. US Shoulder and Elbow Registry Annual Report: reverse total shoulder arthroplasty outcomes. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2024. https://www.aaos.org/registries/registry-programs/shoulder-and-elbow-registry/ Source
  19. Werthel JD, et al. Return to sport after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: systematic review. Orthopaedics and Traumatology: Surgery and Research. 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877051721001415 Source
  20. Zarkadis NJ, Mills ES, et al. Early versus delayed rehabilitation after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: systematic review. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2022. https://www.jshoulderelbow.org/article/S1058-2746(22)00197-X/fulltext Source

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