Everyday Systems: shovelglove: message 216 of 649

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--- In , "T. Kevin Blanc" 
<t.k.blanc@a...> wrote:
> Thank you for your thoughtful response, Deb. I'm getting a bit off 

> topic here, so this'll be my last post on the subject. It can 
always be taken to e-mail.

D...Yes, please feel free to write me at my email 
DeborahFederLMT@..., and maybe the Shovelglovvers who are 
groaning will be appeased, LOL.
> 
> I originally hurt my shoulder taking a punch to a pad during 
Karate (the dude doing the punching threw a hard roundhouse after 
the instructor told everyone to stop. 

D...Nice Guy, don't worry Karma will take care of him : )

Mild librum tear, nothing protruding in the joint, 
> which is still smooth as a baby's bottom, according to the Doc. 
But, frozen shoulder since November. Negative MRI. And, of course, 
it derailed my progress towards a black belt.

D...Kevin, I am taking a guess that you mean Labrum..I know what you 
are talking about though : )
Glad you didn't shatter any cartillage, that would be awful...Okay, 
MRI will generally be unrevealing with soft tissue conditions. 
Frozen shoulder is often a result of two perpetrators
Supraspinatus, which is the "booster rocket" in shoulder abduction, 

and then the Delt's take over after the arm is starting to raise up 
to shoulder level..Supraspinatus is probably your main problem, if 
infact, abduction is your problem...Abduction is the action of 
lifting your arm straight out and up away from your body--visual 
aide, picture that famous Leonardo Davinci sketch of a mans body, 
you know the one with the really wavy hair and arms outstretched)
The other very common culprit is the Subscapularis...Almost always 
involved in "Frozen Shoulder"....This muscle is pretty darn hard to 

access, but if you find your arm is more "frozen" in medial rotation 

you will have limited ROM in lateral movements...Take this ROM test 
for Subscapularis involvement, it probably is limiting your ability 
to laterally rotate your humerus (upper arm bone : )
Pretend you are about to wave "Hi" to someone by bringing your arm 

up to shoulder level, ie 90 degree angle to body, and then, as you 
raise your upper arm to finish the "hi there" wave, notice if you 

are getting alot of resistance in your scapula. As you "flip your 

lever" (vague reference to Shovelglove to appease the masses) into 

the reverse position, ie you are doing a mirror image but now your 
forearm is hanging down and your palm is facing backwards, shoulder 
still flexed to 90 degrees of abduction, do you feel less pull and 
more comfort...If the answer is yes to one of these positions, it is 
likely to be yes to both, which would intimate Subscapularis as a 
key player in your frozen shoulder. 

> I'm a 45 year old insulin-dependent diabetic: I've learned to roll 

> with it. I don't expect a shoulder miracle. I just want it strong 

> enough to use it and reasonably free in range so I can shoot hoops 

> with my 10 year old (not yet) and bump the volleyball with my 13 
year old. Then maybe go back for my black belt.

D...Those are nice goals Kevin, I think that you already have a 
shoulder miracle, because I know people who have degenerative 
cartillage problems which started just exactly in the same scenario 
as you...My friend Dave had a boxing injury, but opted for surgery 
because his cartillage was shattered on the head of the 
humerus...Incidentally, the surgery didn't do anything for his 
frozen shoulder...This condition will definitely improve if you find 
someone to help you. Remember too, if you don't know already, that 
Diabetes can seriously affect wound resolution and healing...Stay 
positive and take what happened to you as a sign to pay attention.
You probably miss Karate terribly, but if you weigh the importance 
of being able to shoot hoops with your son and play volleyball with 
the other,,,hmmmm...I might rethink this impact sport...You have to 
do what you like, but decide if you really want to take a chance on 
another "roundabout" from left field...Another massage therapist I 

know, used to be a black belt and wound up snapping his head in some 
tight spot...He has permanent arthritis in his cervical spine, and 
swore off the sport since that day...Still do what you like, but I 
am firmly convinced from my own life experiences, that when 
an "accident" happens...It is our duty to listen and heed the 
signs.

I'm in the D.C. area. 
> Got any colleagues? :0)

D...My advice is to contact your local chapter of the AMTA, American 
Massage Therapists Association, and see if they can send you some 
references...Go for the person who you feel most compatible with and 
of course with experience in therapeutic work.
Good Luck Grasshopper :)
Debbie