Physiotherapies (Shoulder, Hip & Abs!)

Quick update....
Had a quiet weekend after last Friday's gym session. I was fairly tired.

Monday was my first appointment with the NHS Physio for my bad left shoulder. I basically came home and sobbed afterwards. I was very disappointed with the level of care and understanding.

Did a lot of walking on Tuesday, which caused bad right butt/hip pain, aching left shoulder and, eventually, aching lower back! Disappointing really.

Wednesday, went to the pool in the hope of soothing away some of the aches and clearing my head of the worries/upset. The swim helped. I lost count of the lengths but I did about 32 (0.5 miles). Right rotator cuff has been sore ever since and the right crick neck I've had for 8 weeks continues.

Today (Friday), went back to the private physio for help with everything! He was great. Gave me nearly 1.5 hours of his time (charging me only for the hour) to deal with both shoulders, my neck, right abdominals and right hip.

THE PLAN

• LEFT SHOULDER: continue with physio exercises prescribed by NHS and see where that takes me. Think again in 6 weeks.
• Neck stretch 3 x per day
• Eccentric Serratus Anterior exercise - lie on back, left arm straight up in air, lift with right hand then let go and allow serratus muscle to take shoulder back to retracted state. 2 x 10 reps
• Thoracic extension exercise 2 x 5 reps
• Pec stretch exercise 3 times

• RIGHT SHOULDER: infraspinatus weakness - so - include exercise to reactivate/improve that (2 x 10 reps daily)

• RIGHT ABDOMINALS: physio thinks I probably caused a small tear in the oblique muscles and the scar tissue is weak/sore. It's a case of breaking down the tissues and rebuilding. So, starting with zero-load trunk twists and gradually increasing weight every 2 weeks.

• RIGHT HIP: strength has improved (single leg glute bridges good now). He's going to write to my GP to get an xray done to rule out any abnormalities and take it from there.

So, I am back up to 1 hour of physio exercises a day for the right hip and left shoulder/neck. I guess I can tolerate it better these days but I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to a life that doesn't include daily physio!

...I think that was what the sobbing was about on Monday. I am into year 5 of this rehab and it is flipping hard to keep at everything on my own day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. To be sent away with yet another set of painful exercises was the last straw. I needed some support, some help; someone else to work on my body other than me; someone else to massage the sore muscles or stretch them out or mobilise them or whatever. Just once, I wanted someone else to help with the hard work!! The fact that the physio did nothing but assess me (no treatment etc) and send me away to further pain was more than I could cope with at that point. I wanted help!