Bionic Woman | Arthritis Information

..... if you don't mind me asking. Boney-thank you..thats really sweet

Joie-ask away

my elbows can straighten to within 5 degrees of normal which is functionally normally. But I can also flex then to 130 degrees which is normal. I can wash my face and feed myself by bringing my hand to my face instead of my face to my hand. More importantly no more pain. I do have lifting restrictions of about 10lbs but that rarely comes into play.

The shoulders are totally painless now. I can lift them about shoulder height but I also have two shredded rotator cuffs. I have enough motion to wash my hair which is good but I still have trouble reaching things on the top shelf at the grocery store but I don't really need that stuff anyway. The pain prior to surgery was excrutiating. I was sleeping (kind of sort of) in my recliner most nights. i would have done my shoulders for the pain relief alone and that was acheived

I work hard to maintain my range of motion. I work out regularly and do strength and resistance training within the limits my drs have given me. Its important to maintain muscle strength

Wow - you are amazing. Buckeye,

Thanks for answering. I've had some joint replacements too, both knees and both hips, and minor surgery on my foot, but not as much as you, yikes. For me, it got to the point where I really had no choice, in fact I may have waited too long, but like you said, the difference between before and after joint replacements is amazing -- I love my ortho docs for enabling me to walk without pain again.

My elbows and shoulders are yucky, loss of ROM, but not too much pain, so I'm not considering surgery in the near future, but I cannot reach my face with my hands, I use a long handled aid/tool, one gets creative in figuring out how to do things that many take for granted and do without a thought. I remember in the earlier years, my RA doc having me reach my arms up to the ceiling, and me thinking, geez I can do this, big deal, well 31 yrs after RA, I can only raise them straight out. I know its tough when folks get diagnosed w/RA, but they must realize that the options available now are much better than what old timers like myself had to choose from.

I know little about shoulder and elbow replacements, but if you've had all those done, I'll think you'll find hip replacement a breeze. I was 100% weight bearing the first day I walked, which was the day after surgery. Before my hip surgeries, I was sleeping in a recliner too, I couldn't lift my leg to get into a bed. Gee, that all seems like a long time ago, about 2 1/2 yrs now. Joint replacement is pretty amazing.

You remind me to work on ROM exercises and maintaining muscle strength -- I better get off the computer and do some now.