Skip to main content

Who Do You Call When You're Told You Need Surgery?

 



I got a call from my sister one day - she'd been dealing with significant shoulder pain for some time. She kept thinking it would resolve with rest & traditional treatment - anti-inflammatories & traditional PT (rotator cuff strengthening, e-stim, ice). Yet, she was still unable to perform the activities she loved. By the time she reached out to me, an MRI was scheduled. "Seems necessary," I reassured.

I got another call - the MRI results were in. “They say surgery is my only option if I want to keep active.” She had a torn Rotator Cuff that "must be repaired." The surgeon also wanted to do a “little extra” & move the Biceps tendon, since she pain there, too.

What would you do if you were in her shoes, but you had to make the decision on your own… or with Dr. Google? Pretty stressful, I’d say! I mean, if you knew 100% this was the right plan, you’d have a much easier time accepting it, right? What if it’s not the right answer? Do you actually NEED the surgery? What about this “extra” work with the Bicep tendon? Will you ever be the same? How long is the recovery? Can you maximize the healing process? Is it REALLY WORTH IT?

Luckily, she had me in her corner. The ultimate “phone a friend” in this situation. I wasn’t about to let my own sister go under the knife unless I was sure there was no better option. I reviewed the MRI summary & immediately knew surgery was the best option for her. Since she knows I don’t give that advice often, she, too was confident. I encouraged a 2nd opinion on the Biceps procedure, who agreed it seemed frivolous.

MY SISTER WAS ABLE TO ENTER THAT OPERATING ROOM WITH CONFIDENCE that she was doing the best thing for herself & that she had unbiased support around her. She was set up to win, mentally, right from the get-go. She had me to pray over her, guide her through the healing process, encourage her when she was down, and go to if she needed a 2nd opinion with therapy or return-to-activity. I had nothing influencing my recommendations to her, except her.

Want someone like THAT in your corner?
Schedule a FREE Discovery Call here https://prosper-pt.as.me/discoverycall & get this support for YOU!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Therapists Need Advice, Too!

PT WITH NAGGING HIP PAIN I received a message from a physical therapist colleague & active mom asking for advice. She had been dealing with some hip pain that seemed to have started when she started increasing her strength training regime. My "R hip, feels like "impingement," but also trigger points in piriformis and adductors. I just can't get them to shut off!" Spoken like a true PT 😅 I gave her pictures of 2 new exercises to try via messenger. 5 DAYS LATER, I receive this: "Messaging to tell you you're my hero. That seated stretch is AH-mazing. I have worked out all week with zero pain." It really CAN be that simple! I have recently launched the Pain Relief Coaching program to offer you all the same Quick, Easy, and Effective advice. No appointments necessary! If you'd like to stay in the loop about this program, hop over to my IG acct  @your_pain_relief_coach . Or check out more details & take the quiz to find out if you're a g...

How are Airway and Posture Related?

HOW ARE AIRWAY & POSTURE RELATED? When we think of "airway, we think of life-and-death situations and sleep apnea.  But, there is so much more to our ability to pull air into our lungs freely and evenly and to expel carbon dioxide.  Our alignment and muscle tone play a pivotal role in our ability to maintain a symmetrical, un-restricted airflow.  You see, the respiratory system is a bo dy-wide, interconnected and closed system. There are often clues our body is giving us that there is a restriction somewhere to free, full airflow. Often times, the restrictions are located quite a distance from our nose and mouth! Key Points First of all, it is not common knowledge, but we actually have 4 diaphragms (some even say 5) that all influence each other.  They act as one closed, pressurized system.  If there is an issue with the function of one of the diaphragms, it will influence the others. Another key concept is that our main diaphra...

Those "Tricky" Hamstrings - Part 2

THE ROLE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM This "epidemic" of recurring hamstring injuries is, in part, due to the under-valued role of the nervous system.  There is often too much focus on the structural "damage" and isolated limitations vs the overall dysfunction. I'm not saying that treating the damaged tissue is not important. But, in order to minimize recurrence, we must look beyond the isolated injury and seek to understand the integrated, "big picture" of the problem. IS IT ACTUAL DAMAGE OR SOMETHING ELSE? One interesting concept to understand is that the tension of our muscles are completely under the control of our nervous system.  Your brain is in constant awareness of the tension of all your muscles.  Unless you change your nervous system, you will continue to sense tightness.  As mentioned in Part 1, stretching isn't necessarily the answer to resolving tension. The relief felt by isolated muscle stretching only lasts for about 20 minutes.   ...