Shoulder Surgery Tomorrow!!!

[Pacific lefty]

I know, its one of those rare sunny and windless Irish days and I am suffering from tennis withdrawal! To make it worse, all my friends and Rivals are playing in the local tournaments, and winning! Sorry, I can't help being envious!!!

[Fee]

Originally Posted by Pacific lefty

Yeah, LeeD I have kind of dropped out of yoga. For some reason I thought the behind the back was as essential as other ROM exercises. I just hope I will be able to hit good serves whenever that happens. I am kind of used to getting a few easy points that way.

Anyway,the waist thing is working, that was good advice (very relevant!) and I will keep doing.

I am hoping when I meet my PT week of 25th she's going to let me hit ground strokes. I mean I can't see why I couldn't. I almost feel like I could today...

Whoa, what? Are you strong enough to hold a racquet? To move that racquet through the ROM that you already have? Strong enough to handle the vibration and movement of the racquet when it makes contact with the ball? I can handle the first, not the second, and the idea of the 3rd scares me right now. Yeah I know we don't have the same injury, but that seems really quick to me.

Do you have the bed hanging stretch in your papers? Lie on the very edge of your bed with your bad shoulder hanging just off the bed, put your hand on your stomach and let your elbow drop off the bed towards the floor, then very slowly let your hand follow your elbow down and let gravity stretch your arm back. Return to neutral by bending your elbow and then lifting your shoulder back to a comfortable starting position. That one helps too.

Reaching behind you is an important part of your ROM (scratching, bra hooks, and reaching into the back seat of the car were all things I missed and am missing again). You don't have to be able to put your hands palm to palm back there like a yogi, but it's nice to have functional movement for every day life.

Keep plugging away.

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

I remember that phase. Barely getting my ROM back and friends are hitting around me. Lovely time.

The thought of holding a tennis racquet, 100% confident.

The thought of swinging a tennis racquet, barely confident.

The thought of follow-through and stopping the swing with the tennis racquet, HELL NO that's going to hurt.

[Pacific lefty]

You guys (of course ) are all right. Hmm, for the checklist:
Holding a tennis racquet: 100% for sure
Lightly hitting a couple balls against the wall: 50%? Haven't tried.
Looping back for topspin forehand: Definitely not
Follow through: Definitely not
Ok, so I'm not ready, that's being rational, but my tennis loving irrational side is going crazy!

Yes, Fee, an off center shot would probably kill me now! I am sure of it.

Off to Italy for the weekend, and more physio when I am back. My husband nearly killed me when I said I was going to have to smuggle light weights through our low cost airline check in. Just hoping I'll get away with it...

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by Pacific lefty

You guys (of course ) are all right. Hmm, for the checklist:
Holding a tennis racquet: 100% for sure
Lightly hitting a couple balls against the wall: 50%? Haven't tried.
Looping back for topspin forehand: Definitely not
Follow through: Definitely not
Ok, so I'm not ready, that's being rational, but my tennis loving irrational side is going crazy!

Yes, Fee, an off center shot would probably kill me now! I am sure of it.

Off to Italy for the weekend, and more physio when I am back. My husband nearly killed me when I said I was going to have to smuggle light weights through our low cost airline check in. Just hoping I'll get away with it...

Isn't that the ultimate struggle of human kind? The struggle between calculated rational behavior and the undeniable pleasure of irrational behavior?

You've got to be strong and fight the temptation. I've said this many times, an extra 1 or 2 months is nothing over a lifetime.

[Pacific lefty]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

Isn't that the ultimate struggle of human kind? The struggle between calculated rational behavior and the undeniable pleasure of irrational behavior?

Very well put, that is so true and obviously exactly what got me into trouble in the first place. I am going to resist that temptation and keep slogging away at the PT. At least I have lots of feedback from everybody who has been through it before and come out to see the light!

[Fee]

Take your exercise bands and look for those inflatable water weights they make for travelers. But carting luggage around might be all the weight lifting you need. Have a caprese salad and a glass of chilled white for me!

[Pacific lefty]

Grazie mille Fee! Will do and I have packed all the bands. Will update on rehab when I am back!

[Pacific lefty]

Well, the heat in Italy, approx 85-90 degrees, along with all the chianti and lovely food, was great for my shoulder.

I am on to the blue resistance bands for nearly everything and it is going well. The only hitch is the awful hand behind the back and front cross stretch. I am working so hard on internal rotation at the moment and it is just taking forever.. I am hoping that does not mean that there is scar tissue there that I will have to work through before I can get the hand back up. Pre-surgery, even with the impingement I could place hand very high...maybe it is just impatience.

Meeting with PT this week and really,truly, I think I should be allowed to hit against a wall or try a few ground strokes.