Beth,
I had shoulder tendonitis diagnosed by a doctor. Six months ago, he gave me a shot of cortisone after I was experiencing daily pain. It has been fine until recently- while shoveling. I work out regularly and do yoga. But I am just not sure what exercises and stretches to do that will enable me to have long-term relief without having the cortisone every few months.
Thanks for any advice you can give me. Donna
ANSWER:
Hey Donna:
Well, I am glad that you have had it diagnosed but I would definitely steer clear of too many cortisone shots. They definitely provide relief but, A) They don’t cure the problem and B) They weaken the integrity of the tendon. Seems to me that you have had the pain under control by doing your daily routine and then just re-injured it while shoveling. So there is something in the shoulder joint that isn’t running smoothly.
What I would do is get a script from your doctor to get some really good physical therapy sessions. I say really good because you need to go to someone who will tell you why this is happening and fix the problem, not put a “Band-Aid” on the pain. You may need some deep tissue work, some good exercises to reeducate the muscles, and some specific stretches to help break down some existing scar tissue. All of this should be done without aggravating the tendonitis. Tendonitis is basically an inflammation of a tendon and generally needs rest to get better. The more inflamed the area, the longer the rehab.
I hope this helps. It stinks when you can’t do your daily activities pain free! Happy shoveling!
Hasta,
Beth(Posted 7-19-03)
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