Health/exercise

[redbird]

When I visited adrian_turtle a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned my intermittent but recurring shoulder problem, which I'd not had looked at because I didn't want to deal with possible surgery. She recommended that I see my doctor, to see if physical therapy would do me any good.

I have seen the doctor. She asked me to describe the problem, and then moved my arm in a variety of ways. Her conclusion is that I have a good enough "range of motion" that physical therapy wouldn't help. I am to take ibuprofen for the next week, and see if that helps. Yes, I pointed out that this is an intermittent problem, and thus that it's hard to know whether it's gotten better.

She also asked me whether I exercise, and when I said yes, asked for details. The result:she wants me to do a week of doing the bicep and tricep exercises with no weight at all, and then I can go back to half the weight I was using, and (though she seemed unhappy about this) back up to the full amount gradually. Once I go back to using weights, I'm supposed to stretch before doing them, and ice my right shoulder afterwards. (Yes, an hour or two later is okay, it doesn't have to be immediate/at the gym.) If I can't find a good stretch, I can use the exercise with no weight as a warmup.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to ask about the lateral raises, which are specifically a shoulder exercise, while I was at the doctor. (I'm thinking not that this doesn't apply to them, but that re-adding weight may be iffier there.) She did not say "all upper body exercises," however, but specifically mentioned biceps and triceps.

One thing I'm considering is doing the bicep and tricep motion-without-weights at home, on the days alternate from gym days, rather than at the gym.

Comments

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Since this is a doctor and not a PT, does she know much about weight-lifting, or did you describe the specific lifts? It does seem odd that she would worry about biceps and triceps but not lateral raises, or lat pulldowns, or shoulder presses. I guess it depends on exactly which muscle is the problem, though.

[redbird]

I gestured the bicep curls, but she just said "biceps and triceps". Which may mean I need to be careful with any exercises that use those. If nothing specific and informed comes along soon, I'll check on irongirls and/or ask one of the trainers at my gym.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Have you considered Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, and/or standing meditation? You might be moving in a way that hurts your shoulder.

[redbird]

No, I hadn't.

I suspect that what I'm doing is--being right-handed, mousing right-handed, and often carrying a bag on that shoulder--not letting it get adequate rest to recover from whatever it is. But that's just a guess. Are you still doing Alexander Technique on a level where you could teach me something useful, if I got down to Philly for a day or two?

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Maybe. I'm only teaching very occasionally, but I'm getting good (though unambitious) results some of the time. In any case, I'd be delighted to see you.