Physical therapy for shoulder pain

Whoever says that all pain is easily manageable and bearable has definitely not experienced the debilitating pain that is experienced in the joints. It is not only excruciating but also immobilizing preventing you from engaging in even the most banal tasks of life.

I found this out the slow but hard way as I continued to push my ageing body and abused the most used muscles and joints in my body, those of the shoulder. It took me time to accept the reality but eventually I had no other recourse except physical therapy for shoulder pain.

Cold shoulder

Looking back it is clear to me now, what at that time was not apparent; my shoulder had been crying out in pain but I paid no heed to it. Soreness after a particularly intense swimming session or a grueling workout had become the norm but I overlooked the unusual soreness that I would feel in my shoulder joints. I had stopped using them; I was abusing them.

I continued to push them through their daily trials and tribulations. At a time when I needed physical therapy exercises for shoulders, I continued with my regular strength training exercises and swimming.

Hard shoulder

As the pain worsened, I sought the guidance of friends, family and trainers. Advice came in like snow during January in Washington. I chose immediate relief over gradual improvement. I chose medication over physical therapy for shoulders and I couldn’t have been happier about it. For a few months, at least.

The pain did not merely subside, it vanished. I was overjoyed with the results and resumed my exercises with renewed vigor. Bolstered by the disappearance of my pain, I pulled harder than ever before. Eventually though, my shoulders pushed back.

My pain might have disappeared but it hadn’t resolved. It was only masked by the medicines and numbed out by the drugs. When it reached the tipping point, it tore through that chemical facade.

The pain returned with a sense of vengeance. It became debilitating and harrowing. It was persistent; always there like my own shadow. I sought advice once more and was told that the only option was to seek physical therapy for shoulder pain.

Weight off my shoulders

While no advice seemed to agree on common physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain, most advice agreed on who I should approach for my shoulder troubles. Healthloft Physical Therapy in Chicago. One of my closest friends gave me reassurances and the contact details. Ever the skeptic, I first went where all my inquiries go, to the sacred domain of Google.

My skepticism was dealt a welcome blow as I landed on their home page. I went through the links which talked about their different options for physical therapy for shoulder pain and left their website convinced.

I booked an appointment with a therapist and went to the nearby clinic the following day. If their website impressed me, their clinic blew me away; it was immaculate and well thought out. I was promptly approached by one of the staff and soon greeted by Joanna, the therapist I had talked with before.

Joanna patiently and empathically heard me out. For the first third of the session, she only questioned me. Everything including but not limited to my lifestyle, history, exercise regimen, shoulder concerns and expectations. The second third she only answered and addressed; my doubts, confusions, hopes and fears. In the final third, she chalked out a game plan; a regimen, a daily routine, physical therapy exercises for shoulder pain and a timeline.

While we did not commence any work on my shoulders on that day, I left the clinic felling like a weight had been taken off my shoulders. I felt my healing journey was underway, figuratively at least.

The beginning of the end

Joanna suggested that I have a minimum of six sessions as per her assessment and I signed up enthusiastically. Over the course of the next few months, her guidance along with my disciple and persistence, ensured a smooth journey to recovery. The journey that was the beginning to the end of my shoulder troubles.

Healthloft’s follow ups along with their app made everything that much easier and while it did take a few months for my shoulder to recover, I could not have made it happen without Joanna and everyone else at Healthloft.