Results: Right Shoulder Pain
I injured my right shoulder during martial arts when I was in my late 20’s. It seems that I hit the pad incorrectly and continued doing so for a prolonged period. Around the age of 28 or 29, I became aware that something was wrong when someone across the room noticed that my right collarbone was higher than my left arm, indicating inflammation in that area. I visited a doctor hoping they could fix my collarbone, but I was informed that surgery couldn't be performed on floating collarbones.
Along with the acute injury I also created inflammation in my right shoulder on a daily basis. I had developed an unconscious habit of holding my shoulders, particularly my right one, at an elevated position while working on my computer. My husband, an Alexander Technique teacher, helped me realize this. Holding up my already tense shoulder worsened the problem. It was a significant challenge that I had to overcome, and even now, I occasionally catch myself lifting my shoulder.
As a result of this injury and the repetitive lifting of the shoulder, I experienced severe and persistent pain in my right shoulder. Sleeping on my right side became impossible, limiting my sleeping options. Over the years, I tried various approaches, including side planking, which I believe helped strengthen the muscles surrounding my shoulder, either in the forearm or hand.
The turning point came when I was researching how to treat a rotator cuff injury for my students. During this research, I realized that I had a rotator cuff injury myself. With this newfound understanding, I decided to go back to basics and engage in basic physical therapy exercises using resistance bands for both my right and left shoulders. I created these two videos for rotator cuff: 1st one and 2nd one.
Previously, I had been lifting heavy weights, but now I regressed to simpler, gentler exercises. Although using the stretchy exercise bands was initially humbling for my ego, gradually I experienced less pain in my shoulder as the ligaments and muscles in the rotator cuff received increased blood flow. I incorporated these exercises a few times a week, typically two sessions.
To maintain balance, I performed the stretchy exercise band exercises on both my right and left shoulders. It took approximately eight months for my shoulder to fully recover. During this period, I also introduced light weights, ranging from 5 to 10 pounds. Eventually, I realized that my right shoulder had improved, despite the unconventional exercises I had been doing for weightlifters.
If you're interested, you can refer to the provided links to learn more about these exercises. It was humbling for someone like me, who desired big muscles and strength, to focus on rehabilitating a rotator cuff injury. However, I successfully healed my right shoulder, and now I can sleep on it comfortably.
I have full range of motion and no pain anymore in my right shoulder.
