{
 "dataset": "VerifiedCareData \u2014 first-person shoulder-surgery recovery equipment corpus",
 "version": "v1",
 "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
 "generated": "2026-08-29",
 "methodology": "https://verifiedcaredata.com/about/",
 "sources": [
  {
   "name": "BoneSmart Joint Replacement Patient Forum",
   "url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/categories/shoulder-area.120/",
   "note": "shoulder-surgery pre-op and recovery areas; robots-permitted, use=reference"
  }
 ],
 "counting_rules": [
  "The unit of evidence is a person, not a post \u2014 repeat posters count once.",
  "Quoted text is removed before parsing so quoting someone does not create a second account.",
  "Only mention counts are machine-derived. Whether someone recommended or rejected an item is read by a person, because the phrase-matching approach was tested and misfires: it read 'something you didn't need for the hip recovery, but might want for this one' as a rejection. Hand-read verdicts live in reviewed_verdicts and cover only the items that appear on a page.",
  "Counts are a floor: a person who used a walker without ever writing the word is invisible here."
 ],
 "limitations": [
  "Self-selected population: people who post on a recovery forum are more engaged, and probably more prepared, than average.",
  "Forum members skew toward those having a harder time \u2014 that is often why they post.",
  "Excerpts are quoted under the source's use=reference signal, short and always linked back to the thread they came from."
 ],
 "totals": {
  "posts": 752,
  "people": 141,
  "threads": 142,
  "date_range": "2012-12-23 to 2026-07-06",
  "items_tracked": 17
 },
 "items": {
  "sling": {
   "label": "Sling or immobiliser",
   "people_mentioning": 108,
   "posts": 433,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 108,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 46,
    "week 1": 41,
    "weeks 2-6": 13
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "ice packs or icing": {
   "label": "Ice packs or icing (any method)",
   "people_mentioning": 96,
   "posts": 328,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 96,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 39,
    "week 1": 40,
    "weeks 2-6": 6
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "recliner": {
   "label": "Recliner or lift chair",
   "people_mentioning": 78,
   "posts": 179,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 78,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 35,
    "week 1": 25,
    "weeks 2-6": 7
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "cold therapy machine": {
   "label": "Cold-therapy machine",
   "people_mentioning": 52,
   "posts": 94,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 52,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 19,
    "week 1": 14,
    "weeks 2-6": 3
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "leg elevation pillow": {
   "label": "Leg elevation wedge or pillow",
   "people_mentioning": 33,
   "posts": 52,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 33,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 10,
    "week 1": 6,
    "weeks 2-6": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "cane": {
   "label": "Cane",
   "people_mentioning": 10,
   "posts": 18,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 10,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 4
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "walker": {
   "label": "Walker or rollator",
   "people_mentioning": 8,
   "posts": 10,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 8,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 2
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "crutches": {
   "label": "Crutches",
   "people_mentioning": 8,
   "posts": 8,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 8,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "adaptive or button shirt": {
   "label": "Adaptive or button-front shirt",
   "people_mentioning": 8,
   "posts": 11,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 8,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 4,
    "week 1": 4,
    "weeks 2-6": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "shower chair or bench": {
   "label": "Shower chair or tub bench",
   "people_mentioning": 6,
   "posts": 6,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 6,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "week 1": 1,
    "before surgery": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "reacher or grabber": {
   "label": "Reacher / grabber",
   "people_mentioning": 4,
   "posts": 6,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 4,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 2
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "sock aid or dressing stick": {
   "label": "Sock aid or dressing stick",
   "people_mentioning": 4,
   "posts": 4,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 4,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "compression": {
   "label": "Compression socks or stockings",
   "people_mentioning": 3,
   "posts": 3,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 3,
   "timing_cue_counts": {},
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "hospital bed": {
   "label": "Hospital bed",
   "people_mentioning": 3,
   "posts": 3,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 3,
   "timing_cue_counts": {},
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "sling pillow or wedge": {
   "label": "Sling / abduction pillow",
   "people_mentioning": 2,
   "posts": 2,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 2,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "week 1": 1,
    "weeks 2-6": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "raised toilet seat": {
   "label": "Raised toilet seat or riser",
   "people_mentioning": 1,
   "posts": 1,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 1,
   "timing_cue_counts": {
    "before surgery": 1
   },
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  },
  "leg lifter": {
   "label": "Leg lifter",
   "people_mentioning": 1,
   "posts": 1,
   "people_mentioning_excluding_forum_staff": 1,
   "timing_cue_counts": {},
   "stance": "not machine-classified \u2014 see reviewed_verdicts"
  }
 },
 "themes": {
  "sleep": {
   "people": 89,
   "pct": 63
  },
  "physical therapy": {
   "people": 80,
   "pct": 57
  },
  "help at home": {
   "people": 41,
   "pct": 29
  },
  "swelling": {
   "people": 28,
   "pct": 20
  },
  "constipation": {
   "people": 8,
   "pct": 6
  },
  "stairs": {
   "people": 3,
   "pct": 2
  }
 },
 "reviewed_excerpts": [
  {
   "author": "anniemfuse",
   "date": "2018-01-26",
   "quote": "With the shoulder I was told I must sleep reclined (not flat) and on my back wearing the brace/sling for 6 weeks.",
   "thread_title": "Shoulder Replacement - Done!",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/shoulder-replacement-done.44422/"
  },
  {
   "author": "Debbie_joints",
   "date": "2022-08-27",
   "quote": "I ended up sleeping in my recliner for around seven weeks.",
   "thread_title": "3rd time lucky",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/3rd-time-lucky.71231/"
  },
  {
   "author": "Hip4life",
   "date": "2025-01-08",
   "quote": "Slept in it for the first eight weeks and occasionally still retreat to it.",
   "thread_title": "Another joint bites the dust",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/another-joint-bites-the-dust.79135/"
  },
  {
   "author": "SaraK",
   "date": "2020-03-25",
   "quote": "My surgeon doesn't permit any PT and doesn't release you from the sling until 6 weeks.",
   "thread_title": "SaraK - Living the Life after Rotator Cuff Surgery",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/sarak-living-the-life-after-rotator-cuff-surgery.59494/"
  },
  {
   "author": "Titanium bits",
   "date": "2023-11-15",
   "quote": "Purchase a waterproof net material shoulder sling for showering in, just swap into/out off, easy and only a few quid on Amazon.",
   "thread_title": "TSR Recovery",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/tsr-recovery.75627/"
  },
  {
   "author": "AlanInAZ",
   "date": "2025-06-24",
   "quote": "Dressing and donning the sling in the first week was very difficult without help because of the pain as well as my limited mobility in the non operated arm.",
   "thread_title": "So many questions!",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/so-many-questions.80585/"
  },
  {
   "author": "Jamie",
   "date": "2020-05-06",
   "quote": "It's difficult to dress with one arm and having things that are very loose really helps.",
   "thread_title": "Having AC joint repair...seeking tips for post-op",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/having-ac-joint-repair-seeking-tips-for-post-op.60107/"
  },
  {
   "author": "dwhist",
   "date": "2025-01-15",
   "quote": "I had the Bregs ice machine, but found a couple of ice packs from Amazon were much easier to deal with when keen replaced 4 years ago.",
   "thread_title": "Another joint bites the dust",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/another-joint-bites-the-dust.79135/"
  },
  {
   "author": "Joy0987",
   "date": "2023-04-16",
   "quote": "For the last few days, I have stopped using the ice machine and use an ice pack in the day or night when I have pain--very minimal, but still enough discomfort to interfere with sleep at times, but the ice solves that issue.",
   "thread_title": "dressing dilemas with 2 bad shoulders",
   "thread_url": "https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/dressing-dilemas-with-2-bad-shoulders.73547/"
  }
 ]
}