So, the day after my very successful run, I had my appointment with Travis for a discharge from PT of sorts on my left foot. However, I wrote him an email the night before to let him know of my right shoulder woes. My right shoulder and I have a history, you see.

It all started when a public transit bus made a left turn in front on me in the rain with me coming off the downward incline on a hill. Well, my little car did not have ABS. So, I pressed my breaks, my wheels locked, and I slid right into the bus. Luckily, I had every kind of airbag known to man as well as some fancy shock absorbing technology in the front end of my car, which enabled me to walk away without a broken bone. However, I did have some whip lash, and my right shoulder has not been the same since that day. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the bus won in that completely unfair battle with my wonderful little car being declared totaled, but, for the record, it was the bus driver’s fault.

Ok, back to my story. I did not do anything for my shoulder for six months. When I did seek medical attention, I saw a medical doctor (read: cortizone shot) who referred me to physical therapy (in hindsight, I realize I should have gone to a chiropractor like everyone told me to). Unlike this current round of PT, my first shoulder therapist was not what I had hoped. I could tell that my shoulder was in the wrong place because when I did my exercises, it hurt. It felt like the ball in the shoulder bone was always rubbing against the top of the shoulder socket. When I told my physical therapist, she just told me to keep doing the exercises and it would get better. Instead, it only got worse.

This, consequently, is the only time I have been disappointed in physical therapy.

A couple months later, I moved to Seattle. It was during the awesome, yet, long road trip out to Seattle, WA from Atlanta, GA that I really got “stove up”. By the time I set foot in WA state, my right hip was killing me (hurt to walk) and my right shoulder continued to feel very inflamed toward the top of the socket.

At the strong urging of my road trip buddy, AiHanh, I decided to see a chiropractor. That’s when the insurance website and serendipity (his location being awesome, etc.) introduced me to Dr. Larry who proceeded to put everything back in proper alignment, and I had not felt relief like those first few adjustments in a very long time – I’m thinking since before the car accident.

Anyway, after a year of adjustments from Dr. Larry, my shoulder started to hold it’s position (apparently it was still very weak in the small muscles). The only time I had to have it adjusted during this happy period was after I had travelled. It turns out that carrying heavy bags is hard on a shoulder that is weak.

However, about a month ago or two months ago (I see Dr. Larry every two weeks), my shoulder (as reported in earlier Chiropractic posts) needed to be adjusted regularly. These adjustments were really making me wonder what was going on with my shoulder. It was also beginning to be a little sore after workouts, but that’s it….until Sunday.

Saturday and Sunday this past weekend, I took sailing lessons, which involve a lot of pulling ropes, errr, I mean lines (shoulder work). Well, by the end of the weekend, I was icing my shoulder daily. Not fun, and definitely not normal and healthy.

Now, back to my physical therapy appointment.

The shoulder, it turns out, is Travis’s favorite injury to treat. I postulate that it is because the shoulder is so complex, which would make it very fun and intellectually challenging to figure out what is and is not working and put it all back into working order.

So, with Travis gleefully listening, I related my shoulder story. He then looked at the shoulder and had me do some tests. Here’s what he found:
My right shoulder blade sticks out more when resting than the left one. This indicates a weak lower trapezius muscle, I think.
My right arm has less range of motion than my left when brought around to the back.
My right arm has pain when lifted straight up and has less range of motion when trying to extend it back when in the straight up position (I am sure there are much more succinct ways of putting these, but this is what I’ve got at the moment).
(Is Dr. Larry reading this b/c if so, then he will know for my next appointment) My upper middle back is very tight and the T8 vertibrae is sore.

The diagnosis:
The Serratus Anterior must be strengthened (this is the muscles under the scapula-shoulder blade-that holds down the scapula). The upper traps are doing most of the shoulder work. The Suprasinatus or the little muscle that becomes the ligament that attaches to the top of the shoulder bone, needs to be strengthened after the inflammation has gone down. The shoulder bone sits too far forward in the socket. Therefore, I must learn and practice keeping it back and in the correct position.

The plan:
Week 1 (I only have to go once per weeks since I DO my exercises :-))
Lay on side with large towel roll under top arm. Holding a one pound weight with arm bent at 90 degree angle, move through entire range of motion 10 times X 3 sets.
Take Red Theraband and pull down on ends with small range of motion, arms extended and palms down. This works the Serratus Anterior (the muscle that controls the bottom of the scapula or shoulder blade) as well as the lower traps, which are incredibly weak.
Roll upper middle back over foam roller stopping at T8.

Woohoo!!!

And, yes, this is part of the process of running barefoot! With an inflamed shoulder, it is difficult to run without pain in the shoulder. So, meh.