Shoulder Update

This is the last shoulder update blog post...I swear!!  :-)

I had been trying to decide whether I should seek physical therapy for my shoulder.  I went to the doctor, he was only slightly helpful and then told me to get some physical therapy, although he said I wouldn't need much since my shoulder seemed to be doing well.

Since that doctor visit, I had a chiropractor appointment.  She looked at my shoulder, did some work on it and gave me some exercises to do.  After a few days, I just didn't feel confident that the exercises that I had were doing much good.  I'm sure they were doing something but I wasn't sure if I was making the progress I should be making.  After some thinking, I decided to contact the physical therapy that is recommended through CARA.  The reason I originally didn't want to go is that my insurance doesn't cover it 100% so I didn't want to be stuck with some large medical bills (more than I already have from this stupid shoulder injury)!  But after weighing my options, I thought I can go a couple times, have them look me over, test me out, and give me some good exercises.  I want to be as physically healthy as possible and I don't want to be limited by my shoulder in the future.

I went today to the physical therapy appointment.  I have to say I feel much better that I went. I feel confident in the tests he gave me and the exercises.  Basically, the problem I'm having most is that my right shoulder blade is not remaining firmly down, it's overcompensating for the injury and coming outward (when I'm lifting my shoulder or doing anything with my arm).  Also, I need to strengthen the muscles around my shoulder to hold it in place.  When you dislocate your shoulder, your tendons and ligaments get torn and stretched out and they really don't recover.  The muscles are what's going to help to keep my shoulder from re-dislocating.

As far as my shoulder blade coming outward.  I was laying down and he was lifting my arm up and around, etc.  It wasn't too incredibly sore.  Then he did the same thing again and it was much more sore. I told him I didn't understand why.  He said it was because he was holding my shoulder blade down when it was hurting.  He wasn't allowing it to come outward and it was causing me pain.

So I have 4 exercises to do right now from him.  He also told me to try to make sure I keep my shoulders down when I run since I have a tendency with the injury to hike that right one up.  He wants me to also make sure I'm swinging that arm the normal way I should be while running, which I'm not sure I'm doing.  So these are the things I will be working on.  I am going to another appointment with him next week and I'll see how that goes.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!