| > | | | | movement that was painful for the next four weeks. I |
| Following shoulder surgery earlier this yearI was told | | | | was not allowed to do any exercise apart from |
| that I could be looking at up to eighteen months before | | | | passive exercises to maintain the mobility in the joint. |
| my shoulder was healed and even then I wasn't | | | | All this was in order to rest the joint and let it heal |
| guaranteed a one hundred percent recovery but four | | | | properly. The next step was to start a shoulder |
| months later I am back playing golf and feeling better | | | | specific exercise programme aimed at strengthening |
| than ever. | | | | the whole shoulder as well as the rotator cuff. |
| Following shoulder surgery I was told that I could be | | | | A lot of cuff injuries come about as a result of aging. I |
| looking at anything up to twelve to eighteen | | | | suspect that mine was no exception. Because these |
| months before my shoulder was better and even | | | | muscles are difficult to isolate and exercise, a lot of us |
| then I wasn't guaranteed a complete recovery but four | | | | don't look after them properly. Our posture also |
| months later I am playing golf and feeling fitter than | | | | changes which can cause changes in our shoulders. |
| ever. | | | | Shoulder exercises can reverse some of the effects |
| So what brought about this transformation? Research! | | | | of age. |
| Specifically, finding out as much as I could about | | | | The latest research into rotator cuff problems has also |
| shoulder injuries and treatment and then acting on that | | | | shown that a rotator cuff tear does not need to heal |
| information. | | | | in order to become pain free. Most rotator cuff |
| Let me go back a year and bring you up to date. | | | | problems are initially treated with physical therapy |
| A year ago I managed to tear my left rotator cuff. It | | | | exercise to strengthen the whole shoulder. With |
| wasn't a particularly bad tear but it led to a shoulder | | | | twenty two separate muscles involved in shoulder |
| impingement. The supraspinatus tendon in my rotator | | | | movement, strengthening the whole shoulder will |
| cuff was getting pinched against the bone of the | | | | support the rotator cuff and let it heal more effectively. |
| acromion in my left shoulder. Having torn the tendon it | | | | I built up the exercises gradually over the next few |
| had become inflamed. The inflammation caused it to | | | | weeks making sure that I stopped if my shoulder |
| get caught in the channel of bone through which it | | | | became painful. None of these exercises used any |
| normally ran. This in turn made it fray, painfully, and put | | | | significant weight or resistance so it was easy to |
| me into a cycle that eventually led to me needing | | | | remain pain free. |
| surgery. | | | | My shoulders gradually got stronger and I found myself |
| The surgery was to release the tendon by widening | | | | pain free with full movement within four months of my |
| the channel through which it ran so that the tendon | | | | operation, which is the sort of result that a much |
| would then be able to heal. | | | | younger person could have expected. |
| It was post surgery that I was told that the tear had | | | | What do I put this down to? Proper rest, the right sort |
| got worse and I was potentially looking at a lengthy | | | | of shoulder exercises and taking care not to make |
| recovery period. | | | | things worse by rushing. Patience and consistency is |
| My research told me that it was essential to let my | | | | the key. I exercised a little every day and always at a |
| shoulder rest after the operation to allow the surgery | | | | pace that was comfortable for me. |
| site to heal properly. Resting means exactly that. I had | | | | So don't give up on your shoulders. Look after them! |
| about four days in a sling and then had to avoid any | | | | |