Upward Strength Training - Courtesy CommercialAppeal.com
In my last post I recounted my continued progress towards being allowed to begin strength training some ten weeks away from Open Bankart Surgery on my right shoulder. This past week started off continuing those efforts and climaxed with my visit to my orthopedic surgeon yesterday afternoon (1/4/10). During that visit he checked both my upward and outward ranged. He was pleased I met both my goals (180 degrees inward and 30 degrees outward). With that, he lifted all previous limitations on my physical therapy with an updated prescription.
When I went to the my PT session later that day I was told we would begin strength training. I was told to drop the inward movement exercises (the pendulums and isometrics), as well as, the shoulder shrugs in favor of more intense exercise. With that we began with the normal massages. Since I could now (as of this week) lay on my stomach we also did a lot of back work on my right shoulder blade. The therapist was finally able to get to a spot along the inner ridge of my right shoulder blade that has been sore for sometime, but unable to be treated with full force. That of course changed with my ability to lay face down. We then had me lay flat on my back. I had to with both arms reach upward over my head holding a cane with both hands. This worked my upward motion and strength. We then stretched my arm upward to its limit. We then did upward and outward stretching. The therapist also ran me through a battery of outward motion stretches that literally pushed my arms to its limits. I then did the pulley with an outward motion. I then did scapular crunches against the wall with a towel between my shoulder blades. Finally I laid on my left side and did arm lifts away from body outward. I was pretty fatigued by the end of it, but not as sore as I thought I might be. I did not get either heat or ice. Again, we’re weaning me off those comforts.
I’ve been told the next six weeks will focus on additional outward flexibility and overall strengthening of my arm. I’m pretty excited to move forward onto new exercises and ultimately even closer to normality.
