PHYSICAL THERAPY AND FROZEN SHOULDERS

Don't ever get a frozen shoulder! As I understand it, the condition is more common to older folk than younger people, and more apt to happen to a female than a male. I must have fit right into the "more common" slot, because I got it and it is no fun, believe me.

When I finally convinced mydoctor that I needed help (when I could no longer move my right arm more than about 6 inches in front of my body) he acquiesced and sent me for a round of Physical Therapy. I eventually needed a second round.

Some of the therapy was difficult but do-able and I could feel myself making progress. Then we got to the point where the therapists had to physically manipulate my shoulder and arm into various positions. The pain was excrutiating. Although I mostly laid immobile and silent on the table while this was going on, I was mentally using all the tricks in my bag (self-hypnosis, mental imagery, relaxation, etc) to convince myself that this did not hurt like Billy Sam! (It did). One of the ladies who was having this part of the therapy done would throw her legs and feet up in the air and wave them around while she groaned loudly because of the pain. That isn't my style, but I came very close to emulating her on occasion.

After the two rounds of PT, I was released with a page full of exercises to continue at home. One that did me the most good but was the most difficult to do was to place a towel over the top of a door, grip the top of the door with my bum arm and gradually "hang" from the door by the one arm. Success came in 1/16ths of an inch, believe me. And it hurt so bad. (You know the old saw - no pain, no gain!) Needless to say, I much preferred the exercises done on the bed while moving a wooden rod in various configurations.

All the time I was doing this therapy, my cat Squeaky would sit on the dresser watching me. As soon as I would get off the bed, she would make a dash for the rod and go through her own set of calisthentics. Below are pictures of me and Squeaky doing our various "things." I can't speak for her but I my shoulder is considerably better. It's not perfect yet but at the 11 month point I can say I'm sure a lot better than I was, and I hope I'll never have to go through that kind of Physical Therapy anymore!