Repairing my rotator cuff
Repairing my rotator cuff was my operation in August 2014. Its now December 2015, that was more than 15 months ago. My shoulder now has a full range of movement but no strength when lifting my arm up to the horizontal position. I assumed this would to be my misfortune for the rest of my life.
Will they help with repairing my rotator cuff
In November 2015 I was asked to attend half a dozen sessions in the hydrotherapy pool at the Chilterns M?S Therapy Centre to review the strength of my shoulder.
My shoulder looked good
At the first one Chris Beach the head physiotherapist assessed me. His first reaction was how healthy my shoulder was looking. So all the stretches had been worthwhile. Now he gave me some exercises to wake up the muscle in my left arm. Was I was now going to be able to use my left arm to pick up more than just my mobile phone? The thought made me feel so much better.
Stregthening exercises
When I got back home I started doing the strengthening exercises several times a day. Really easy, just hold my left forearm with my right hand close to the side of my body and then try to move the left away from my body. Do that 5 or 6 times as often as I remembered each day. Within a couple of days I noticed an improvement.
Easy peasy but afterwards my upper arm ached.
None the less this felt like real progress. Easy to add into the new exercise to the ones I already do when I get up.
I did not realise that something so simple could be so effective so quickly. If only all of life could be like that.
I was swimming
The following week’s session was a game changer. I managed to swim a few metres. It was the first time I had swam for at least 1o years. The freedom to be able to move without fear of falling over. The freedom to take exercise that was stretching the muscles. The freedom to take exercise that actually felt like exercise. Wow.
Proper exercise
My heart rate had increased as well. This was proper exercise.
OK I was only doing doggy paddle. Only swimming a few metres. None the less I was kicking the water with my feet. Pulling myself through the water with my hands. It was a fantastic feeling.
Swimming was exhilarating. I was in control. I never thought I would feel that again. OK I felt knackered for a couple of hours afterwards but it was a healthy knackered if you know what I mean.
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