| > | | | | I had an impinged shoulder which is where an inflamed |
| Rotator cuff problems come in all shapes and sizes. It | | | | tendon was getting pinched against my shoulder blade, |
| could be anything from a mild sprain to a full thickness | | | | gradually fraying as I continued to use my shoulder as |
| tear or a shoulder impingement, all of them are caused | | | | normal. Fortunately for me, the pain eventually got so |
| by problems with the rotator cuff to some extent and | | | | bad that I had no choice but to rest my arm. |
| all of them will involve rotator cuff therapy exercises | | | | Because of the extra damage that I had managed to |
| as part of the recovery process. | | | | do, the specialist booked me for surgery to shave |
| Rotator cuff problems come in all shapes and sizes. It | | | | away a piece of bone to free up the trapped tendon. |
| could be anything from a mild sprain to a full thickness | | | | With ten weeks to go until the operation date I started |
| tear or an impinged shoulder, all of them are caused | | | | to research rotator cuffs on the internet and found out |
| by problems with the rotator cuff to some extent and | | | | just how lucky I had been. If I had continued to use my |
| all of them will need rotator cuff therapy exercises as | | | | shoulder I could easily have snapped the tendon |
| part of the recovery process. | | | | completely. |
| Fortunately the majority of rotator cuff problems can | | | | Having a second chance made me rest the arm |
| be sorted out without resorting to surgery. If you have | | | | properly this time. I took to wearing a sling during the |
| managed to snap one of the tendons completely or | | | | day, stopped driving and avoided any movement that |
| have a severe shoulder impingement then you are | | | | caused pain. At the same time I was treating the |
| probably looking at corrective surgery. Surprisingly, I | | | | inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs and gradually |
| managed to fix a pretty nasty shoulder impingement | | | | the pain subsided. |
| with rotator cuff therapy. | | | | Once it had I was able to start some Pilates based |
| Towards the end of last year I tore my rotator cuff. | | | | exercises to gently get the shoulder moving again, |
| About thirty percent of us will at some point in our lives. | | | | starting with gentle stretches and moving on to |
| I managed to do it by lifting something that was too | | | | strengthening exercises. Because these exercises |
| heavy. Felt a pop in my left shoulder and woke up the | | | | focus on control and flexibility they avoid putting any |
| next day to shoulder pain and restricted movement | | | | great strain on the muscles. |
| that just got worse as the days went by. | | | | Gradually over the next few weeks I got back full |
| I went to the doctor who diagnosed a rotator cuff | | | | movement in my shoulder and have now been able to |
| problem and made an appointment for me to see a | | | | cancel the planned operation. Even though my shoulder |
| specialist. Being somewhat pig headed and stubborn I | | | | is now better I still do shoulder exercises every day |
| decided to carry on using my shoulder as normal, going | | | | just to make sure that I don't suffer another shoulder |
| against my doctor's advice. What I didn't know at the | | | | problem. After all prevention is definitely better than |
| time was that each pain I suffered as I moved was an | | | | cure. |
| indication that I was doing more damage. | | | | |