Preparing for surgery
The weeks before, the day of, and the first days at home.
Before your surgery
Dr. Ryan Simovitch focuses his practice on shoulder surgery and sports medicine in West Palm Beach. He completed shoulder fellowship training with the Harvard Shoulder Service at Massachusetts General Hospital, and through the Harvard Intercontinental Shoulder Fellowship at Uniklinik Balgrist in Zurich, Switzerland. The guidance below is written for patients preparing for a shoulder procedure, whether that is arthroscopic surgery, rotator cuff repair, or shoulder replacement, and it covers the steps that apply before, during, and after your visit to the operating room.
Arrange for someone to drive you home and to stay with you for the first night. Many shoulder procedures leave the arm in a sling for a period afterward, so plan for help with daily tasks that need two hands: dressing, cooking, and driving. Ask your employer about time off, and set up your home ahead of time: move frequently used items to waist height, clear walkways, and lay out loose clothing that fastens in the front rather than pulling overhead.
Bring a list of your current medications and any imaging you have been asked to bring. Your surgical team will confirm which medications to pause before surgery and when to stop eating or drinking the night before. Do not change any medication on your own; wait for your team's specific instructions.
You will check in, change into a gown, and meet with the anesthesia team before you go back. After the procedure, you will spend time in a recovery area while the anesthesia wears off and your pain is brought under control. Before you leave, your care team will fit your sling if one is needed, go over your home instructions, and confirm your ride.
Some pain, swelling, and bruising around the shoulder is expected in the days after surgery, and it is normal to feel stiff or to tire easily while the arm is in a sling. Your surgeon will tell you when to begin moving the arm and when physical therapy starts; this timing depends on the procedure performed and your own healing.
Call the office if you notice increasing redness, drainage, or warmth at the incision, a fever, or pain that is not controlled by your prescribed medication. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden swelling of the arm, or numbness that does not improve, these can signal a problem that needs attention right away.
If you have a question before your surgery date, call the office; staff can route clinical questions to Dr. Simovitch's team. Dr. Simovitch is accepting new patients in West Palm Beach.
- 01Request a visitCall the office or use the booking link to choose a time.
- 02Bring your recordsImaging, prior reports and a medication list help make the first visit useful.
- 03Examination and discussionAn exam and a plain explanation of what is going on.
- 04Decide togetherThe options are laid out so you can choose the plan that fits.
What should I arrange before shoulder surgery?
Arrange a ride home and someone to help you for at least the first week.
You will not be able to drive while your arm is in a sling, and most daily tasks, dressing, cooking, carrying objects, take two hands you temporarily will not have. Ask for time off work based on the physical demands of your job: desk work often allows a return sooner than work involving lifting or overhead reaching. At home, move frequently used items to waist height before surgery so you are not reaching overhead with the operated arm.
What should I bring with me, and what should I stop taking before surgery?
Bring your insurance card, a list of current medications, and loose, button-front clothing that goes on over the shoulder easily.
Certain medications, including blood thinners and some anti-inflammatory drugs, are commonly paused before surgery because they can increase bleeding risk. Dr. Simovitch trained in shoulder reconstruction at Massachusetts General Hospital's Harvard Shoulder Service. He also trained at Uniklinik Balgrist in Zurich, Switzerland, through the Harvard Intercontinental Shoulder Fellowship. He and his team will confirm the exact list and timing for your medications at your pre-surgical visit; do not stop or adjust anything on your own.
What happens on the day of surgery?
You will meet with Dr. Simovitch before the procedure to confirm the surgery and mark the shoulder.
Dr. Simovitch performs shoulder procedures ranging from arthroscopic rotator cuff repair to total shoulder replacement, and the surgical approach, arthroscopic, meaning performed through small incisions with a camera and narrow instruments, or open, through a single larger incision, depends on what your shoulder needs. Many shoulder surgeries use a regional nerve block in addition to or instead of general anesthesia, numbing the arm and shoulder for the procedure and into the early recovery period.
What is normal to feel in the days after surgery?
Some numbness, swelling, and soreness in the arm and shoulder are expected, not a sign anything has gone wrong.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2024), a regional nerve block used for shoulder surgery typically wears off within 12 to 24 hours, and sensation and some discomfort return as it does. Your arm will likely stay in a sling for support; your surgical team will tell you how long and when gentle motion begins.
What symptoms mean I should call right away, and who do I call?
Call the office the same day for a fever over 101°F, redness or drainage at the incision, pain that is getting worse rather than better, or swelling that increases suddenly.
Call immediately, or go to the emergency room, for numbness or tingling in the hand that is new and not improving, fingers that turn pale, blue, or cold, or chest pain and shortness of breath, which can signal a blood clot and needs emergency evaluation. After hours, the office's answering service will reach the on-call member of Dr. Simovitch's team.
How do I reach the office with questions before or after surgery?
Call Dr. Simovitch's office in West Palm Beach with any question about preparation, medications, or what to expect; no question is too small to ask before surgery.
This page is educational and does not replace guidance from your surgical team, who will confirm every detail specific to your procedure.
Ready to talk about your care?
Call the office or request an appointment. Accepting new patients.