Thursday, April 25, 2013

Getting Down With Kinesio Tape

Today I had my third physical therapy session.  I go twice a week.  Haven't had really much improvement but, it's only been three sessions and from what I hear, shoulder injuries can take a long time to rehabilitate.  So, I'm trying to be patient but the pain can be quite horrible.  The Kinesio tape seems to help with the pain though.  Today I got quite the Kinesio tape tattoo on my arm.  Goes all the way from the top of my shoulder down to my wrist. 

(Today's Kinesio taping.  You can't see in this picture but it goes up over my shoulder as well.  There are three colors they have I can pick from and of course, I pick black.)

My PT wonders if the edema in the humeral head is not finding a way to drain because some of my grafts on my arm and shoulder area are quite tight.  She is also wondering about a nerve because when I try to raise my arm out to the side with my thumb up I experience terrible "fuzzy-like" pain all the way down to my thumb.  I can raise my arm out in front of me a bit higher and with less pain but to the side is basically a no-go.  So, no one's still quite sure what's wrong other than there is that edema in the humeral head of my right shoulder that showed up in the MRI. 

In my physical therapy sessions I am getting some nice massage therapy as well as a technique called myofacial release.  But I really like the massage therapy :)  Who wouldn't?  We found out that I'm compensating for not being able to lift with my shoulder by lifting with my neck muscles cause I am so sore in my neck.  Before we start the session she measures me on how far I can lift my arm going out in front of me and going out to the side.  At the end of each session she measures me again and there's usually a little bit of improvement (which usually goes away by the next session), tapes me up like last summer's Olympians with Kinesio tape that stays on for a couple days and gives me new exercises to do at home.

I am passing my time with this usless arm reading, watchin some movies, playing a video game I'm obsessed with that doesn't require any movement of my arm (just fingers and thumbs) and doing my new diet, which, is going well and I'm having fun with it.  And going to doctor appointments and therapy sessions.  Seems like every day I have an appointment for something.  Every once in awhile I try to get my tired ass on the treadmill as my doctor asked and so far I'm still dead tired every day.  So, speaking of the treadmill, I best leave you and drag myself to it and walk for at least 10 minutes. 

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing your experience with kinesio tape. This is very informative for the people who use this amazing tape.

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A Daft Scots Lass said...

wow interesting

Unknown said...

Recovering from injury takes time. You have to follow what your therapist will suggest, for those are necessary to bring your arm back to good condition. Be patient. It'll all end soon.

-Clinton Bashir @ USHealthWorks (Spokane-Valley-Center)