Post Operative Recovery

After your shoulder surgery with Dr. Travis Falconer, careful postoperative care is essential for ensuring a smooth recovery and minimising complications. Dr. Falconer will normally visit you on the hospital ward the next morning if you stay overnight.  He will provide you with specific instructions about physiotherapy, caring for your surgical site and dressings and how to monitor for signs of infection. You’ll also be given advice on managing pain, which may include prescribed medications or over-the-counter options, as well as techniques like ice therapy to reduce swelling.

Shoulder surgery often requires patients to spend a period of time in a sling resting and recovering to let the shoulder heal well. This may be short as a day or two, depending on the procedure or sometimes up to 4 or 6 weeks. Generally the sling will be fitted after the surgery in the operating theatre while you’re asleep, and Dr. Falconer will give you more information when he visits you in the hospital after your surgery on the ward.

Dr. Falconer will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your recovery, remove stitches if necessary, and ensure your shoulder is healing as expected. He normally likes to see you back in his rooms in West Perth at around 2 weeks post surgery to check your wounds and remove any dressings. This first appointment is often with one of Dr. Falconers nurses who will help answer all of your questions or concerns. He will then review you again, often at 6 or 12 weeks, depending on your progress to ensure the best possible outcome from your surgery. If you have ongoing concerns or worries, please do not hesitate to contact our team for further advice or an earlier appointment.