What is the recovery time for shoulder replacement surgery?

Patients who undergo shoulder replacement surgery can take up to six months to heal, according to Sutter Health. It can take up to a year for the shoulder joint to achieve complete mobility and flexibility again.

During recovery, the patient's arm is supported by a sling for up to six weeks, claims University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Most people who undergo shoulder replacement surgery benefit from the procedure for at least a decade.

Shoulder replacement surgery involves putting a prosthesis into the areas of the shoulder joint that need replacing, asserts the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Patients who need shoulder replacement surgery often have degenerative arthritis or have sustained damage to the shoulder joint. It is effective in relieving pain, and over 53,000 people receive shoulder replacement surgery every year in the United States.