Self Physio on arm/shoulder

[nuttycyclist]

The last off was fun - 25mph on wet grass, lost the bike but carried on until I finally landed on my chest and chin

At present the arm won't lift up forwards or sideways, straightened, to shoulder height.  From pain I suspect bicep is highly mashed from impact, with possible repercussions from 6 year old grade 3 clavicular separation in that shoulder.

This is on top of last off (cycling down flight of stairs  ) which from symptoms I suspect a self diagnosis of "at least 2 cracked ribs".  Doctor was useless.



I'm fed up with paying physio fees.  With all due respect to decent physios out there, I think I've visited cowboys on previous occasions.  All they give me is a standard printout re self help and exercises to do daily.





So, from forum expertise, how can I put myself back together this time?

[mrcharly-YHT]

1) Cease riding down stairs

2) Follow the instructions and do the exercises. Don't expect instant miracles.

How long since you fell off?

[nuttycyclist]

About a week since the last one.   Ribs one was a few months ago and pain had gone - but a little sore again following last week's prat fall.

It's been a few years since last physio visit.  I did the exercises then but was never really happy that I got value for money, they were more "common sense" movements of that limb. 

[Kathy]

Can you not get physio free on the NHS? That's what I did.

Also, stick with the exercises. Although they seem "common sense", often there is an underlying reason. F'rinstance, following my shoulder op, on top of the standard muscle groups I needed to do a load of wussy exercises to strengthen my rotator cuff muscles (the muscles in your shoulder which hold your arm firmly to the side of your body). My shoulder was feeling good and strong, and I thought "right, it's recovered, I can stop doing those ludicrous exercises and get on with life". PING twang pain, and I set my recovery back by some months: although most of my muscles were fine, the rotator cuff wasn't strong enough to counteract the strength of my other muscles, and I over-worked everything. 

<picks up theraband, wiggles it in wussy movements>

[nuttycyclist]

NHS will involve going to doctor again and adding another twatfall to my records.    I don't really want to do that as one previous note came back to my detriment once and I wished it had never been recorded.

Fortunately I managed to work around that issue, but swore that unless a limb has actually fallen off I'll keep my bumps and bruises to myself in the future <he says publishing it on tinterwebs>


I could get private through work's health scheme, but I did that last time and wasn't impressed (hence this thread).  Also, what's the point in using up my 6 appointments on this when I might need them later in the year if I do a major sillyness.

This is simply a case of a muscle sprain that has stopped the arm moving.  I'm sure I can fix it with exercise (weight lifting?  Therabands that I still have?  Press ups?)  but what I need is some suggestions as to what to do with the arm in order to fix it.

[Kathy]

You sure it's a muscle and not a tendon?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Sometimes what seems like a stupidly simple and pointless exercise is anything but. Remember that a physio in this country has had years of training and the exercises they devise are often targeting individual muscles - maybe to strengthen them, maybe to relax and stretch them.

The stretching exercise I was given is a perfect example. I was in agony from my hip, struggling to walk more than a couple of hundred yards. As I have a history of bone problems with that hip I was convinced I had acute arthritis.

The physio disagreed, gave me one very very simple stretching exercise, I stuck with it and my hip is fine. Absolutely fine.

[nuttycyclist]

You sure it's a muscle and not a tendon?

yes.

[slowfen]

Is there a self referral nhs sports physio service near by?
 A number of both acute and community trusts are now doing them

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Lots of NHS physios allow self-referral now. Check online for your health board. And don't diss the giving out of exercises - physios do know what they're talking about (apart from a cow I used to work with who thought she'd go and assess someone's bed transfers and then tell me to order her a bed rail, but that's another story). If you don't understand why they're giving you exercises, ask. Not liking the idea of a treatment doesn't mean it's the wrong treatment, you know.

[nuttycyclist]

As per the original post, I apologise to any decent physios out there.  I fear my comments re "exercises" might have been misinterpreted.


Whenever I have gone in the past, I tend to get the same printed bit of paper from the same physio application software.  e.g. tie theraband around door handle then punch forwards.  (remove door handle from back, find screw driver to re-fit it to door).

When I saw one physio for the AC joint injury, from a recommendation in here, his first words were "ah I see you haven't had any physio yet" - I'd just finished the NHS stuff and been discharged .    However in a few sessions, with massage, manipulations, and exercise sheets he put me back together very well.

I saw another physio re my knees, and again thanks to massage, tens machines, some exercises and instructions on daily ice-pack usage the issue was fully healed.

Others I have seen though have not been as good.



What I was really after here was a list of options as to arm movements to make that will get it working again, to save me risking going to a physio and paying a lot of money only to find they're one of the ones who hit "print" on screen and tell me to go away.


Anyway, appt has now been booked for an initial consultation at the clinic who did my knees.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Even if any of us were physios, we couldn't diagnose you and prescribe treatment over the internet - you need to be examined and assessed. The exercise sheets are probably from physiotools which I find really useful. Whenever a physio has prescribed exercises/stretches for me, they've used physiotools to print out a sheet depicting what I should be doing, and it really helps me because otherwise three days later I've forgotten. Giving you an exercise sheet doesn't make them a bad physio, but if they haven't had a proper conversation and explained what and why and how long, they should probably work on their communication skills.

[nuttycyclist]

Internet comment - I agree with.

Exercise sheets - I'm having my usual problems of knowing what I mean and not being able to type it



luv n hugs

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Watch your bad arm while you're hugging!

[nuttycyclist]

It's not the arm I worry about.  Having laid on my chest for 45 minutes of pummelling I can now get it from horizontal to hitler salute. 

I think the rib might have cracked again...  I haven't laid on my chest for that long in ages, nor have I had this much pain.