SURGERY DAY
Outpatient procedure
Shoulder replacement can usually be performed as an outpatient procedure, allowing you to recover at home after meeting discharge criteria.
VISUAL CONSULTATION GUIDE
Let’s understand your shoulder.
Choose a topic. We’ll look at what is causing the problem, what treatment changes, and what recovery generally involves.
This guide supports—not replaces—your individual discussion, examination, imaging review, and treatment plan.
SHOULDER ARTHRITIS
Anatomic total shoulder replacement
Used when the joint surfaces are worn but the rotator cuff can still center and move the shoulder.
Why an anatomic replacement?It recreates the patient’s ball-and-socket anatomy and relies on a functioning rotator cuff.
AFTER SURGERY
Your recovery roadmap
Most patients go home the day of surgery. These are the usual early guidelines; Dr. Ramirez may adjust them for your specific operation.
FIRST 2 WEEKS
Sling for protection
Wear the sling for about two weeks. You may remove it for approved self-care and gentle activities performed in front of your body.
AROUND 2 WEEKS
Begin therapy
Physical therapy usually starts a couple of weeks after surgery and progresses according to healing, comfort, and your procedure.
BY 3 MONTHS
Functional recovery
Many patients reach their major recovery milestones at approximately three months, although strength and endurance may continue improving.
✓
Okay at waist level
Wash your face, brush your teeth, eat, use a phone, and carefully comb your hair—while keeping the elbow low and avoiding an overhead reach.
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Avoid during early healing
No reaching overhead, no reaching behind your back, and no lifting more than one pound until Dr. Ramirez advances your restrictions.
Important: This is a general teaching guide. Your written postoperative instructions and Dr. Ramirez’s recommendations for your specific surgery take priority.
CUFF-DEFICIENT ARTHRITIS
Reverse shoulder replacement
Used when the rotator cuff cannot reliably power or center the joint, or when the anatomy requires greater stability.
What makes it “reverse”?The ball is attached to the shoulder blade and the socket is placed on the arm bone, allowing the deltoid to elevate the arm.
TENDON INJURY
Rotator cuff tears
The cuff is a group of four tendons that centers the ball and helps lift and rotate the arm.
Drag the tear severity
HealthyPartialFullRetracted
How an arthroscopic repair works
SUPERIOR LABRUM & BICEPS ANCHOR
SLAP tears
The labrum is a rim of cartilage that deepens the socket. A SLAP tear affects the top of that rim, near the biceps attachment.
Superior labrum
01
SEE THE INJURY
How a SLAP tear develops
02
UNDERSTAND THE TEAR
What SLAP tears are and how they occur
03
TREAT THE PAINFUL ANCHOR
Biceps tenodesis
When surgery is recommended, a biceps tenodesis can remove the painful pull of the biceps from the torn superior labrum.
- The long head of the biceps is released from the damaged labral attachment.
- The tendon is secured to the upper arm bone in a new position.
- This preserves biceps function while taking stress off the injured superior labrum.
The goal: Relieve pain from the damaged biceps-labral complex while maintaining useful strength and function.
CAPSULAR STIFFNESS
Frozen shoulder
The joint lining becomes inflamed, thickened, and contracted—restricting both active and passive motion.
Adhesive capsulitis
A stepwise treatment approach
1Confirm the diagnosisExamination and X-rays exclude arthritis and other causes of stiffness.
2Reduce pain and inflammationMedication and/or an image-guided intra-articular steroid injection may help.
3Restore motionGentle, structured stretching progresses as pain allows.
4Consider surgery if neededArthroscopic capsular release can precisely release contracted tissue in resistant cases.