Tiger Lily > wrote:
: Evelyn wrote:
: > "Tiger Lily" > wrote in message
: >>>
: >>> That is so strange, Kate. My orthopedic doc and all the others I
: >>> know of recommend physical therapy before anything else. I had a
: >>> broken shoulder, and it is because of the physical therapy that I
: >>> regained use of it as much as I have today.
: >>>
: >>
: >> Evelyn, i have had great success with physio therapy for a number of
: >> injuries.........from whiplash to a sprained ankle and more
: >>
: >> the treatment for frozen shoulder didn't work for me
: >>
: >>
: >> but, boy, those HOT pads they put under/around the shoulder sure made
: >> me feel better (temporarily)
: >>
: >> kate
: >
: >
: > My guy put hot compresses on when I first arrived. Then I had to do
: > certain motions, raising alternate arms using a pulley and little
: > handles for a while. Then there were stretches using a bar. Then
: > that advanced to exercises using weights, then the therapist would come
: > in and gently make the shoulder move to the furthest degree he could
: > manage (and that hurt like you can't believe) and finally he'd finish up
: > with an ice compress.
: >
: > This routine went on for about 7 months, 3 times a week, with some small
: > variations to keep it interesting. By the time 7 mos. had passed, I
: > was doing pretty well. But I was still assessed to have lost 50% of my
: > right arm's range of motion.
: >
: > It took a really long time for it to finally stop being excruciatingly
: > painful. Even now till this day, 5 yrs later, I still need to do some
: > of the exercises from time to time to maintain and not lose ground.
: >

: oh, Evelyn, i sure hear you!

: i do stretching exercises to keep my shoulder's moving

: i NEVER want to go thru frozen shoulder again

: your physio sounds very similar to mine, except, i didn't have weights,
: i had elastic tubes and i pulled in different directions from where it
: was attached......... different colours of tubes were different
: resistance, and if one tube got too easy to do, they would give me the
: next one up the ladder

: i also got tubes for doing the exercises at home

: physio is $50/visit, after the $75 visit for assessment....... my
: insurance pays for $300 visits per their calendar year...... so i went
: once a week and worked at home a lot

: kate

I had boh the stretchy bands and the weights for dirrerent exercises. I
have some for home use, but am spending more energy on my back exercises.
Fortuantely, I wa able to get as much time as I needed for my shoulder as,
at that time, Medicare was not limiting the $ value of the therapy. Now
you are lmited to about $1,900 total in each year.

Wendy