Today I went in for one of my twice-weekly, hour long physical therapy sessions. At first, the sessions were little more than heat, deep-tissue massage/soft-tissue work, and then ice/estim (electrical stimulation. You know, the machine with the wires and little sticky pads on the end? Makes your skin tingly and your muscles jump around?).
Slowly, range of motion and stabilization were added in. Then a few more exercises were introduced. I started doing a little bit of strength training last week. Finally - finally, finally, finally!! - today the emphasis was shifted from "passive" to "active." Meaning, I spent as much or more time working on strength training and unassisted range of motion as I did having deep-tissue massage, assisted range of motion, and ice, etc.
Of course, I'm not going to lie - my favorite part of physical therapy is still the massage part. Especially now that things are improving enough that every time someone so much as touches my shoulder, I don't writhe in pain.
But the important part is, I'm improving - I'm really starting to get there! Today I was even cleared to do weight training, to my delight! Poor James, the intern - he practically had to jog after me when Hayes told me what was on today's agenda! I was at the gym section faster than you can say "dumbbell."
Of course, "weight training," was only five pound dumbbells, but still!
Even more exciting, I was cleared to start working out at home - as long as I promised Hayes I would only do 1/3 of what I wanted to. Some of the things I'm allowed to do:
*planks
*walking/power walking
*ab work (non-sit up/crunches/twisting)
*using a boogie board, i can "swim"
*stretching is in, even for my arms and shoulders
*some light-weight strength training.
All of it to be followed up (as ever) with ice, ice, ice, ibuprofen!
No comments:
Post a Comment