I started physical therapy last Thursday to improve my range of motion following the healing of my shoulder fracture. My therapist was knowledgeable, professional, and encouraging. I was expecting physical therapy to be painful since I had been through it years ago after a previous injury, but I knew it was absolutely necessary if I wanted to get my full range of motion back. However, this first session was particularly uncomfortable because a couple of my back muscles were in spasm. Truly, the muscle spasms were more painful than the ROM stretches!
So, I got smart! Before my second session, I saw my chiropractor for an adjustment and had a one-hour massage to lengthen and soothe my back muscles. And voila! The second session of physical therapy was much better. Sure the extreme stretches hurt, but my back was fine. Knowing that the extreme stretches lead to freedom of movement makes pain worthwhile. Offering up the pain to God as a prayerful sacrifice for someone else makes it worth infinitely more by joining in the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ.
If I want my arm to be able to move the way it did before the bike accident, physical therapy is a must! If I experience any more muscles spasms, though, I will once again add a chiropractic adjustment and a massage to my therapy.
Tags: Add new tag, massage, osteoporosis, physical therapy, Shoulder Fracture
