Week 13 post op bicep tenodesis and subacromial decompression

Is week 13 unlucky? I don't know, but I am sure stiff and sore!

I have realized a few things:

1) if I miss a morning or evening of doing my physical therapy exercises, or if I don't do all the exercises (especially the sleeper stretch, which is the "death stretch"), then I am going to be extra stiff the next day

2) while it seems like the pain isn't going away, yet, I do have to acknowledge that I am doing MORE -- more weights on my strengthening days, more repetitions. So all in all, I would say I am improving.

3) alternative therapies do help. For example, I started seeing an S.O.T. chiropractor last week, and I walk away from his office feeling great. And the medical massage that I get every other week seem to help, as well.

I am borrowing a TENS unit from a colleague who had a frozen shoulder a few years ago. I wake up being super sore after using it, like I had a huge workout the night before.

I also had some issues with my thoracic area, a rib had popped out, which caused a lot of pain in the surrounding muscle groups around my shoulder blade.

But, overall I am doing good. Sleeping still sucks big time. I am not taking any pain killers at night, but I do take an anti-inflammatory in the morning with breakfast. I switch back and forth from advil and aleve. Last night I didn't do my stretches -- I did a sauna, but I got home late and had so much to do that I scrimped and cut out my stretches. Bad mistake. This morning when I did them, I was super stiff!! I have to remember not to do that anymore. Even if it means going to bed later, I have to do my stretches. That is key!! Even more important than sleep!

The only movements where I do not have full range of motion in, are putting my left arm behind my back to try to scratch my back, for example. That is a very difficult move. I can get my arm behind my back, with the help of my other arm, or with the wand. Another movement that hurts is bringing my arm across the front of my body to the other shoulder. I can do that, almost full range of motion, but it hurts like heck!! And not a stretching too much kind of hurt, but real, honest to goodness pain!!

Well, I am 13 weeks out. The doc says I am going along just fine for the time it has been. I am ready for it to be a month from now... I hope I am feeling amazing then! Week 17 will be my magic week!

My right shoulder hurts near the acromium (up at the top of the shoulder where they cut the clavicle and took out the bursa). That will take months to stop being so tender. I am ready for that to be done, now! It has been 8 weeks now, and from what I have read and heard, it is doing fantastic. Full range of motion, not much pain at all doing the movements I do, and it is easily bearable.

Posted via email from rhauptman's posterous

A different kind of chiropractor

I have this annoying rib that always pops out from my thoracic spine. It is the T-4 vertebrae. It has plagued me for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, once it pops out, it is hard to get it back in place. I have gone to chiropractor after chiropractor, and I leave my appointments in pain.

So, I think about 2 years ago, maybe a little less, my rolfer told me about a modality of chiropractic that I had never heard of before. It is called S.O.T. (for sacral occipital technique). So I searched online and found one within 20 miles of me. That has made a difference in my life!

So, the past week I had horrible thoracic pain, and really needed some relief. It is bad enough that I am struggling with my shoulder pain from my surgery recovery, so I went to New Brighton Chiropractic and saw Dr. Andrew Kollar. Not only did he pop my rib back in without any pain, it was done with pure ease.

And, he did active release technique on my shoulders, to help me in my rehabilitation from my shoulder surgeries. It is amazing. I go in with limited range of motion and I leave with full range of motion.

And, he doesn't "crack" your back by jabbing you real hard with his hands on your back. That isn't how SOT chiropractic works.

So, if you live in the area of the north metro in the Twin Cities, I would strongly suggest checking this clinic out. And, they are all so nice! Even the other patients that you get to meet are very friendly!

Posted via email from rhauptman's posterous

I wear my detox foot pads only on the weekends

I have been wearing my detox foot pads only on the weekends. Since I workout and shower before bed, (thanks to the time it takes to dry my hair, I don't bother with it and just let it air dry overnight), I don't have time in the mornings to stick my feet in the tub and scrub the goo off them. So on weekends that is what I do. I wear 3 on each foot for 2 nights a week.

I can tell when I haven't worn them for awhile. There is a big difference in how I feel, and how I sleep. I know I am recovering from 2 shoulder surgeries, so sleeping is difficult as it is, but it is a bit easier when I wear the foot pads, which is nice, since the weekends are my only available times to sleep in.

Every person is different. Some parents use them for their kids, for the sole purpose of helping them sleep better. They make a huge difference! Other parents use them for their kids because their kids are showing signs of ADHD. The detox pads help these kids by pulling the toxins out of their bodies. As a result, they are acting like normal kids vs. hyperactive, no attention span sugar-junkies. I believe diet plays a role as well. The more you can get your kids off of high fructose corn syrup, the better!

Right now I am offering 40 free detox foot pads with the order of 200. So for only $190, you get 240 detox foot pads, which is enough for 1 person for 4 months. That is a crazy good deal.

Check them out if you haven't. I give away free samples if you email me.

Posted via email from rhauptman's posterous