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shoulder impingement

(2 discussions)

I am 61, and have, for several years, noticed an increasing weakness down my right arm after raising my arm or hooking my bra behind my back. The discomfort progressed to waking me up at night if I’d turned on that shoulder, so I went to an orthopedic surgeon, who ordered xrays – nothing unusual, some typical aging – then started me on physical therapy for 6 weeks. During that time I had a cortisone shot, as the therapy was not helping the problem, but it had no effect. I completed the therapy sessions – 2 per week, between which I did NOT do the exercises at home, by the way. So now I’m still in the same kind of pain in certain motions, and don’t want to have the surgery, as I hear it’s only sure to be successful when there’s a tear, and my MRI didn’t show any sign of tears! Is there a more effective type of physical therapy for a case like mine? I read on the internet about manual physical therapy combined with exercises being a superior route than just PT exercises alone. What do you recommend? Meanwhile, should I be exercising at home? Should I be icing? Heat? I need to get some road to relief, without surgery! Is there one for me??? For now, I’m stuck with using pillows to get comfy at night, which only works until I wake up again – usually 5x per night. Oh, for some good, sound sleep!Thanks for whatever help you can give me from your experience!

2 comments

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    9 10

    barb, I had rotator cuff tendonitis of shoulder with no tear and my MRI showed inflammation. I had 1 cortisone shot and did nothing. what helped me was using 3lb weights and doing internal/external rotation to strenghtnen the rotaotr cuff muscles and also I would lay on my stomach with my arms extended out to the sides like a bird and holdoing the 3lb weights in each arm I would go up and down. I did this for about 6 weeks 3-4x per week along with heating it first with a moist heat pad and finish with ice and it took the painh away completly. I still have somestiffness, but no pain like I did.
    ps antiinflamamtories DID NOT HELP.

    Avatar

    9 10

    Can you sleep now? I have the same condition.

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