Friday, September 27, 2013

Frozen Treat

Finally got a diagnosis on the shoulder. While I do have a rotator cuff tear, and while that may be related to the problem (or not), the problem is adhesive capsulitis, aka "frozen shoulder."

The orthopedist doesn't think that surgery is in my future. He gave me an injection of corticosteroid and sent me downstairs to physical therapy, which I'll be doing twice a week for six weeks or so.

Charleen, my therapist, took measurements (the ones I remember are that in one area where I should have a movement range of 90 degrees I have more like 10; in one where 180 degrees is normal I'm at just over 90; and running my hand up my back, there's a difference of about two feet in range between right and left), gave me exercises to do between sessions, etc.

So anyway, making progress. And now that I have something of a handle on what all is wrong, I can get back to exercising without fear of making things worse (before I started falling apart, I had brought my weight down from ~250 pounds to ~215; I'm back up to 228; I want to be at less than 180; at about 165, I'm more or less a hardbody).

As someone who really, really, really hates having to consult physicians, get treatments, etc., I have to say that my experience down here in Florida has just been fantastic. Almost without exception, the medical professionals I've run into have been genuinely friendly and seem to know what they're doing without being arrogant about it.

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