Beltane Solstice Moon
My shoulder started hurting, bad, sometime in January, late. Since I had just had an episode of patella-femoral syndrome, knee pain, that I had fought off with rest, I decided to try the same with the shoulder pain. I stopped my resistance work, then took off for D.C. to see the pre-Raphaelite exhibit. By the time I got back the acute phase of the pain had ended. I went back to my regular workouts.
Still, there were lingering problems. I couldn’t lift a grocery bag from below my waist up on to the counter. At night, sometimes before sleep, pain localized in my bicep would be so intense I had trouble getting to sleep. Though I always did. Putting on a jacket hurt as did flipping the duvet up to get it straightened out after a nap or in the morning.
None of this was enough to cause me a lot of discomfort and most of the time I forgot about it, something I couldn’t do while it was acute. Still, it was there and when it did appear it made me feel just a little less than I wanted to be. At some point, too, when I did bicep curls and chest presses, my left bicep would weaken and stop working. I didn’t want to stop my workouts for this minor of a problem so I just stayed away from the exercises that bugged my arm.
I was, in other words, glad to start physical therapy. I waited a while to get the therapist my orthopedist had recommended. It was good choice; David is quick and reassuring. Over the last two weeks I’ve done the exercises, simple things. At first mostly stretching. Last week David added some strengthening exercises.
I no longer have the pain before I go to sleep though I sometimes wake up to some pain. In general the arm is much less sensitive, though I still have some problem putting on a coat or flipping the duvet, but it is much reduced. I’ve been able to return to the bicep curls and the chest presses.
It amazes me that this regular series of very small interventions can have such a significant effect. And what I like best? It’s non-invasive and non-chemical.