The Shoulder

Tuesday I arrived at Pilates class (which I've been doing once or twice a week for a few months now). My right shoulder was feeling tense, seemingly from sitting at my computer all day. So I gave them a stretch and a rub and went along my class. It was sore but not unbearable... until after class. I got into my car and I couldn't turn my head, and it hurt all the way down my arm, up my neck, and across my chest. Not sure exactly which move made it that bad, but I was thinking about going to the ER. However, since it wasn't anything life threatening, there was no bleeding, and the pain was only about a 7 on a 1-10 scale... I just took some Aleve, put the heating pad on it, and tried to take it easy.

After not sleeping, I called out of work around 5am. Did manage to get a little nap in. Called an orthopaedic doctor, luckily they had a cancellation and so I headed over at 3. I was thinking it was probably a pinched nerve but since the pain was coming from under my shoulder blade (as opposed to the top of my shoulder/neck where i usually feel it) I decided it warranted going to the doctor.

So, I met with Dr. Lonnie Davis at the Center for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine. I liked him. He did a lot of "raise your arm this way, turn this way, push, pull" type of things and thinks it is just a strain or possibly a pinched nerve, exacerbated by the fact that my neck and shoulders are very tense. He gave me some Prednisone for the pain/inflammation, a muscle relaxant, and I need to do 6 physical therapy sessions to learn to stretch and strengthen my upper body to avoid this kind of injury from happening again.

This means, though, no pilates for the next two weeks. And I had to cancel the deep tissue and hot stone massage I had scheduled for Friday. Bummer. I'm glad I went to the doctors though, and that it's not a worse diagnosis!