Shoulder Rehab

After a few weeks of going through a vicious cycle of CrossFit WODs >>> Oly Lifting >>> overuse >>> Trigger Point therapy >>> ice/heat/rest >>> feels better >>> CrossFit WODs >>> Oly Lifting >>> overuse...and so on...I am still experiencing shoulder pain. Not just when I'm lifting, but all the time. To make matters worse, my fingers have gone numb a few times when I sleep. "NOT GOOD", says the doc.

After deep tissue massage and TP Therapy failed to alleviate the pain, I decided to take this old clunker of a body in for some professional work. My first ART (active release therapy) session Dr. Kyler Brown at Austin Sports Therapy was this morning. Let me tell you, ART is miracles (yes, that's a reference to the Insane Clown Posse).

After 30 minutes of intense diagnostic therapy, my range of motion had greatly improved and pain had subsided. Yay! The doc gave me the good news that I didn't have an acute shoulder injury requiring more intense (and expensive) treatment, rather I was suffering from a rotator cuff sprain (anatomy lesson below).

A few weeks of regular ART sessions, daily rehabilitation exercises, and rest from overuse, and I should be good as new. Easy, right?!

Unfortunately, CrossFit workouts incorporate a lot of exercises that require engagement from the shoulders and the assisting back and neck muscles. All of which I am receiving treatment on. So, it looks like the week off from classes couldn't have come at a better time for me. Once I get back to classes on May 4, I'll have to work with my coach to change up my workouts to accommodate.

I've been advised to lay off the cleans/snatches, pull-ups, shoulder presses, and long distance rows. That leaves me with lots and lots of lower body and core work. This is what my fellow gimp, Lyssa, refers to as the "Lunge Circus" and "Squats, squats, and more squats" in her blog posts about the special workouts she gets to do while her shoulder injury heals. On the bright side, my ass and legs will get some much needed focus. Perfect for the short shorts and sundresses I am so eager to wear!

As a side note: I'm hoping that this won't affect my performance at the benchmark workout of the Spartan Challenge on May 8. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to perform at my best. This is why rest/rehab now is important for better performance when it counts.

Gimpy signing off...