Tag: shoulder

I saw my GP about my shoulder today. He said that my issue is musculo-skeletal, not neural. That’s good. He said he could send me in for tests, but when I asked if anyone could do anything for me if those tests came back showing something, he said no, so I declined.

I’ve been prescribed muscle relaxers and given the broad diagnosis of “chronic injury.” Basically, I should take ibuprofen before activity and use heat to increase blood flow. I can live with this. I know people who fence way better than I do who have much more serious injuries.

I also feel that my doctor focused a little too much on the fact that I fence, no matter how many times I told him that I’ve had this numb spot significantly longer than I’ve been fencing. However, that doesn’t change the fact that he says I can more or less keep living my life.

I don’t think I really got any answers, but I did get some weak reassurance. I’m going to look for stretches and exercises for the upper back/shoulder region (the numb spot is on my scapula). If you know of any good stretches, please let me know (preferably with pictures). I’m mostly interested in back and shoulder (my shoulders are SO STIFF right now) stretches, but really, I’m interested in preventing injuries of all kinds.

I haven’t been doing much fighting, so I haven’t been doing much updating. I haven’t even attempted progress on my lunges.

I went to Krav on Wednesday and had a good and productive practice, but I was sore for days afterward. I’m going to both classes this week, but I’m going to tape my shoulder and tell my instructors what’s up. I think it’s pressure, not movement, that’s causing my problems.

I’ve been resting up as much as possible since then. It stinks, but it also really helps.

I see my GP on Thursday. Wish me luck.

Day 19

I was feeling pretty good, so I put in 100 lunges this afternoon. My right shoulder/back region started tingling about halfway through. I was in third hand position. I don’t know if the problem is hand position, body position, repetitive motion, or the time spent holding the sword out in front of me. Up to this point, my back has gotten tingly from sitting down. Leaning against a seat back usually helps.

I’ve noticed that when I do this drill, I square off a lot more than I usually do when I fence. I’m trying to turn sideways to present less of a target (you know, the way I was taught to fence in the first place). Unfortunately, whenever I think about narrowing the available target, then my lunge becomes narrower, or I stop hitting my target.

I had an awesome night at Krav Maga. We did some HIIT at the beginning and end and spent the rest of the class throwing each other around in an alley.

Tonight I realized that I make weird faces when I fight but never had to confront them because of my fencing mask. Also, if you need to do sit-ups and are prone to frequent gas, next to a Dumpster is the best place to do it.

My right shoulder is fine, maybe a little tingly after practice. My left shoulder is tight. I feel invincible right now, but I’m not going to lunge until tomorrow. I think the ~2lbs of steel at the end of my hand is what’s worsening the situation, so I’m not rushing back in yet. There will be a sword in my hand this week.

Yesterday I did yoga and felt pretty good. The tingling on the right side hasn’t gone away, but it does seem to be lessening. The left side is super tight and almost hurts. I noticed the difference when I was threading the needle in reverse prayer. I could extend my right arm forward, but I had to keep my left arm flexed.

Since I felt pretty good, I considered trying to work in some lunges, but Nik told me to hold off for another day. His shoulder bothers him sometimes too, so I’m taking his word for it. Tonight I’ll go to Krav and spend an hour fighting my way out of bear hugs (surprisingly not too bad on the shoulders). Maybe I’ll try to lunge tomorrow or over the weekend. I definitely want to go to fencing on Friday.

I hate being laid up, but I know that if I don’t rest now, I’ll just be injured longer and more severely in the future. I’m really hoping my doctor will be able to help me with a minimally invasive option (home rehab routine, cortisone shot, etc.).

Also, for those precious few of you following me, I hope you don’t mind that this blog is shifting away from its focus on fencing. I want my injury to be visible so that people know there is a reasonable alternative to playing through the pain.  With luck, I’ll be back to my regularly-scheduled ass kicking in no time.

I made an appointment to see my GP about my shoulder. I’m taking a break from the lunge challenge for the time being. I think the repetitive motion is doing more harm than good. I like being part of something, but it’s not worth my health.

If I feel better, I might work in a day from time to time, but I’m not going to try to play catch up anymore. I thought 200 in a day was reasonable, but it really isn’t.

Our culture values playing through the pain when we really need to rest and take some anti-inflammatories. “No pain, no gain” is a phrase we’ve all heard at least once, and I’m thinking it’s time for that sentiment to go out of style.

I did some research. The numbness I’m experiencing sounds like a pinched nerve. I don’t know if the pain is from repetitive use or if it’s related to the pinched nerve.

I’ve been dealing with this unpleasantness for years. It has been intermittent up to this point, but the static in my back is increasing in area as well as frequency. I’m going to try to see my GP about it, and I know what he’s going to tell me. I really don’t want to hear what he’s going to tell me.

I had an issue with my left shoulder a couple months ago. I rested it and took steroids for about a week and a half / two weeks. Despite wanting to do nothing but eat and fight for the first week of that ordeal, I came out the other side in good shape, and I was able to practice as long as I didn’t use that arm. I don’t know if not using that arm for half a month has anything to do with my forgetting I have an off-hand unless I have something in it.

I also don’t know if I have one bad shoulder or two. Do I have a pinched nerve on one side and a propensity for rotator cuff issues on both sides? Do I need to stop fencing for awhile? Do rehab? Have surgery? Get painful shots that will discolor my skin? None of these options sound like a good time, but I know I need to do something now if I want to keep fencing in the long term.

Days 14 & 15

I did 200 lunges this morning because I was too busy hanging out with Santa to do them last night, and I’ll be at a show in Birmingham tonight.

Starting in fourth and transitioning from there was a challenge. I really want to start in first. Always.

My shoulders are killing me. I got a massage from a massage therapy student yesterday. As soon as she touched me, she asked if I was an athlete. When she was working my shoulder (the right one is bothering me now), she guessed volleyball. I considered making her guess, but I assumed “fighting everyone I see” wouldn’t necessarily come to mind.