Coping with one arm

[gp0560]

I'm about to undergo shoulder surgery and have been thinking about the challenges I will face while enduring the "discomfort" of recovery.

 

If you have had arm surgery or have otherwise had an arm immobilized, what were your most unexpected or most serious difficulties? (Other than being restricted to less variety in your sex life.)

[+ deej]

There's no reason to curtail sexual activity. Just make sure any partners know of your "limitation". They may even pamper you.

 

Which side are you having done? I fractured my right arm just below the shoulder, effectively putting the right arm out of business for a time. Aside from being VERY right-handed, I soon learned how much of our life is done on the right hand.

 

Think of driving a car. The key generally goes in a receptacle on the right hand side of the steering column. The gear shift is on the driver's right (in the U.S.). Dealing with either of them with your left hand is awkward. (Yeah, lefties, I hear you already. ) If it's your left shoulder, you'll still be able to get the key in the slot and shift gears with your right hand, but that shoulder strap coming across the surgeried shoulder could be painful.

 

Pulling a shirt over your head may be an adventure for a time. My physical therapist told me he was surprised I was wearing pull-over shirts, but it was actually easier than buttoning a shirt with one hand.

 

There are a million little things, but absolutely none of them are all that limiting and you may come out the other side a little more ambidextrous.

 

Good luck!

[+ overeasy]

I'm a rightie, and experienced reduced use of my left arm for a while (couldn't lift my hand above my chest)....Found it impossible to get a tie on, hard to put eye drops in my eyes. Getting heavier items out of the cupboard was also a challenge. I seem to remember wedging my elbow up against the wall so that I could use my left hand to help do some things like wash my left ear!...and they were the least expected ones...was a challenge, but not insurmountable...good luck!

[+ Charlie]

I have had surgery on each shoulder, which prevented me from lifting one or the other arm above my shoulder for a while, or moving the arm behind my back. The only serious difficulty was with getting dressed. Make sure you have some loose-fitting shirts that you can get over your head with one arm, pants you can get pulled up and fastened with one hand, and jackets and shirts that are not too tight to get on without twisting your arms--try them out before the surgery. Tying shoelaces is usually not a problem, but it helps to have some shoes that can just be slipped on and off. Depending on which arm is immobilized, be warned that wiping your ass with a non-dominant hand can be a more of a problem than expected. And get into physical therapy as soon as possible after the surgery.

[Kevin Slater]

Other than being restricted to less variety in your sex life.

 

There's no reason to curtail sexual activity. Just make sure any partners know of your "limitation". They may even pamper you.

 

I assumed he was joking that his stable of regular sex partners would be curtailed by half.

 

Kevin Slater

[ErieBear]

I had some problems zipping up my zipper. Normally I use 2 hands for this and it took a bit to get used to.

 

Also, flossing my teeth was difficult.

 

Those are the 2 things that came to my mind first from when I had shoulder surgery.

[+ deej]

Depending on which arm is immobilized, be warned that wiping your ass with a non-dominant hand can be a more of a problem than expected.

 

Oh, I'd forgotten (blocked?) that. It's true.

 

That first wipe will have you feeling like you've never done it before. All the angles are wrong; physics and gravity will fail you, and you'll be cursing ever learning to use the other hand.

 

But it will pass.

[biguy]

I had my rotator cuff repaired a few years ago and was ready for the long haul of all that everyone has mentioned. Once my mind was made up that these things wouldn't be the end and I had to power thru things like wiping my ass, dropping things with my non-dominant hand, zipping,etc., I followed doctor's orders with physical therapy and found it to be the biggest waste after 6 weeks. I still couldn't do anything. Then I went to pilates and within 4 weeks, twice a week, I had 100% full mobility and range of motion. Strength took about 6 months to get back to normal.

[+ Charlie]

I think it depends on how good your physical therapist is. I was back on the tennis court in three weeks.

[Guy Fawkes]

There are those who say that the Left side

of the brain controls the Right side of the

body and vice versa.

 

Which of course means that Left handed

people are in their Right Mind!

 

:rolleyesrightbackatyou:

 

http://x86.xanga.com/6ecb0321766a0229644850/b30443692.gif

 

(Yeah, lefties, I hear you already. )

[Cooper]

I'm about to undergo shoulder surgery and have been thinking about the challenges I will face while enduring the "discomfort" of recovery.

 

If you have had arm surgery or have otherwise had an arm immobilized, what were your most unexpected or most serious difficulties? (Other than being restricted to less variety in your sex life.)

 

gp0560... Thanks for addressing this issue and I hope all goes well with your shoulder surgery... Like you, I too have surgery coming up shortly that will leave me with limited use of my left arm and shoulder... I spoke to friends/neighbors who have had similar procedures and asked them about the challenges they faced post surgery... In most cases showering was #1. You have to keep the area of the incision dry for 3 weeks. Some used saran wrap to cover the affected area while others used cut out strong plastic bags and heavy towels to protect it from getting wet... Since the movement of the left arm will be limited, I was told by my doctor no driving for 3 weeks... All mentioned the difficulty finding a comfortable position to sleep. One guy said he was so uncomfortable sleeping in a bed that he slept sitting in a chair.... Also mentioned was the difficulty of dressing. I'm practicing now at home to see what clothes work best. The V neck type t-shirt is easier to pull over your head than the crew neck and 1 size larger works best... I'm hoping I'll be able to easily slip in an out of my loafers but putting socks on you'll need help... I have a dog and will be hiring a dog walker. I just don't see walking my dog with one hand and not being able to pick up his poop with the other. Plus, being pulled in whatever direction he wants to go makes this task a challenge.... Again, gp0560, hope you have an quick and easy recovery. Good luck.

[gp0560]

Thanks guys. I knew I came to the right place both for good tips and good wishes. I planned a longer answer but my fumble fingers erased the whole thing. Later.