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Shoulder recouperation…

Posted on July 18, 2008 by piecesofscrap

or is it?

I have just started with a new physical therapist. Fran specializes in craniosacral therapy and myofascial therapy.

I have only been to two appointments, and am going in for my third tomorrow. The first appointment, Fran was able to lightly massage my lower arm (from the elbow down), and did something that no one has done to this point….stop the tremors. It was temporary, as they came back a few hours later, but still, it impressed me.

At my second appointment, she did more massage, going all the way to the shoulder, and the back, in the area of my shoulder blade up, and also out towards my rib cage and arm. She hit some major pain areas, and while it hurt while she was doing it, I did feel a “release” of the tightness.

I am trying hard to do what she tells me to….(1) Let the arm rest! It needs to basically “shut down” so that it can really heal, which it didn’t get right after the surgery. (2) Listen to my body. When it hurts, relax. I tend to pull my shoulders up…didn’t even realize it until she said something. I am conciously catching myself doing it now. I have to remind myself to relax. Take naps or lay down when I need to (which seems to be every day). (3) Don’t go to work and kill myself. If I feel I can’t do much that day because the shoulder is too painful, or the left arm is just exhausted from making up for the right, don’t go. I am fortunate in this respect that my work is very flexible. The doctor recommended 20 hrs light duty a week, but I am rarely able to make that, and work is ok with that.

So, while I am still extremely skeptical, and told Fran so, I have to admit that I am impressed thus far. After my therapy Wednesday, my arm felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. I couldn’t use it if I wanted to. That is such a different feeling compared to the hyper-tightness I have had since my injury in October. I hurt all over. She said that would be expected. Her exact words were, “You are going to feel like I beat the snot out of you”.

Time for meds and sleep.

Be blessed.

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