It’s Shoulder and Neck Pain Awareness Month here at Manual Medicine Spine and Sports PT – and I wanted to bring your attention to some extraordinary shoulder cases I’ve been working with recently.
The first success story I want to share is about “Penelope”.
Penelope is 73 years old and hasn’t been able to move or lift her (dominant) arm very well since falling on it about a year ago. She broke her shoulder and had to get 5 pins put in to help put it back together and repair the fracture.
After surgery – she went to regular physical therapy – as prescribed – for several months. Although most of her pain went away – her mobility and function didn’t come back the way she had hoped.
After all this time… she could still barely lift her arm.
And when she tried to reach or do various things – it hurt pretty badly too.
If she didn’t do anything – she felt fine – but that isn’t how she wanted to live her life…
She asked her doctor about what more could be done – but he just said it was about as good as it was going to be and the next step for her was shoulder replacement surgery.
Penelope wasn’t ready for a major surgery like a shoulder replacement.
And to be honest – she really didn’t want another surgery.
(Her first surgery hadn’t gone so well – after all…)
Surgery is scary – and she wanted to do everything possible to make certain it was her very last resort.
So she started researching what types of other treatment might be good for her.
What else could she try that would be good for her overall – and still safe for her shoulder?
She had read that Manual Therapy if done the right way was a non-stressful way to get mobility back and also if she was given the right type of strengthening exercises then she could strengthen not only your core but your whole body. But since she had never tried manual therapy (as her previous PT did not use that form of treatment and only gave her exercises to do that were painful at times) before – she was a bit nervous.
But knowing that we focused on both manual therapy and specialized care with building a custom based exercise program AND we are a specialist Physical Therapy practice – she felt more confident to give us a try…
Fast forward – she tried her first session with manual therapy and exercises. She was very hesitant initially because in her mind – she had already tried “physical therapy” and it had gotten her as far as she could…
(Plus – her doctor already told her it was about as good as it was going to be.)
But luckily she gave us a chance anyway 🙂
And I’m happy to report after just a few sessions she has noticeably less pain – and improved mobility.
Mobility her doctor told her she’d never regain on her own!
One thing we did differently is we looked beyond just her shoulder…
We addressed issues in both her upper back and neck that we found were contributing to part of her shoulder problem.
And then honestly – we just helped her feel confident to move again.
One of the secrets to moving better – is to move more – and move a lot.
Not fancy gadgets and procedures.
But when you’re in pain and it hurts – you don’t want to move – or you’re afraid to move – and it’s easier to get “the thing” or “the gadget” to make you feel better instead.
We get it!
And as Penelope found… when you have the right guidance – from specialists who understand what you’re going through – you CAN find successful, movement-based remedies that are natural and that work – and that you can do on your own any time you want.
She’s still got a long road ahead – but all signs are pointing to success and continued progress 🙂
We’re happy Penelope was willing to give us a shot and even more thrilled to see the progress she’s making.
How about you?
Are you currently suffering from shoulder pain or anything else that is keeping you from doing things you love – and you’re just not sure where to turn?
Let me know and let us help!
If you want to talk to us and see if what we do is right for you – CLICK HERE.
PS – For a limited time – I’ve opened up spots on my personal schedule to help people suffering from back, knee, neck and shoulder pain. I’ve got exactly 2 spots per week – reserved for those who are serious about getting help – and finally ready to invest themselves. CLICK HERE to get a Free Discovery Call with a specialist at my clinic and we’ll get you on my schedule as quickly as possible IF you’re a good fit for what we do 🙂
Trupti graduated with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from UNC- Chapel Hill in 2001. She has furthered her studies with numerous post-graduate courses focusing on the Neck, shoulder, knee, and back, with a strong emphasis in manual therapy. Recently completed courses in Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars (Levels 1- 5), has afforded her an excellent way to relieve pain and help people get moving, active and healthy quickly and effectively.
With 20+ years of experience in Physical Therapy, Trupti has practiced in various orthopedic and sports focused clinical settings, in both the Raleigh-Durham, NC and DC regions. She has been Director of multiple Physical therapy Clinics in DC and also worked with some renowned specialists at Georgetown University Hospital in DC. During her years of service, Trupti has had the privilege of caring for a wide variety of clients: from school-aged children to retirees; from homemakers to business professionals; from weekend warriors to professional athletes.
Trupti is an avid fan of the outdoors, art, traveling and of course the Tar Heels. She enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew.
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