This week we have a guest post from Vancouver RMT Jennifer Keene. The post was written during the early stages of her recovery process and is a perfect example of why it is important to step back and be respectful of the recovering body. It is easy to let the challenge become overwhelming, but at the same time so gratifying to regain what once was.
We are happy to announce that Jennifer championed through the rehabilitation process and is now back to work three days a week!!
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When recovering from an injury it is important to monitor the gains.
The first week of having the cast off is horrific. Even after one week of post-surgical casting, I couldn’t move my fingers or hand.
My hand felt foreign and incapable. It was scary to have a part of my body incapacitated and injured, but after the first week I began to see a significant increase in hand dexterity and pain-free activities. It is important to monitor the daily activities you CAN do versus those that you can’t. Tonight is the first time my right hand has been involved in typing, still minimal but assisting with 1 or 2 fingers is a big improvement. Today I also managed to eat with my right hand for the first time since the break, when only a few days ago I was barely able to move my fingers and hand due to stiffness.Set new goals: I want to make a gun shape with my fingers (I can’t now due to palm and tendon stiffness.)
** DO NOT set timelines! That is always up to your body to figure out!
Be aware that tremendous shock may occur anywhere along the healing process and do not discount the psychological effects of damaging your body
“Richmond believes it is essential for care-givers to acknowledge that emotional trauma is inherent in almost every injury. In a National Institutes of Health-funded study she did, Richmond found that even among patients who had relatively minor injuries, a substantial amount had depression and post-traumatic stress a year or more after the injury.”
There are now limitations in life that you weren’t expecting. It packs an emotional punch when you have to limit your existence, it makes sense. I cried this morning trying to open a new glass jar of almond butter. I managed to pry it open after several attempts with the glass between my thighs and my lefty. I was already riding an emotional wave when the almond butter tears hit but don’t be shocked if similar frustrations hit you.
In a surgical repair you are encouraged to move as much as possible, within pain-free range of motion. I found that scary and felt resistant to the concept of using my hand and my arm. The urge to protect was so strong that had I not known from my own schooling how important it is to have tissue in motion, I likely would avoid rehabbing it due to discomfort. Most people I’ve talked to with breaks admit that they have continuing, chronic problems due to lack of rehab. This too is often what is reported in RMT (registered massage therapy) clinics when pain present in an area of previous injury. Move in all ranges as much as you can without pain. The doctor said “if it’s sore the next day it’s too much” and I wouldn’t recommend anything that leads to lingering pain.
Although your brain isn’t a muscle, it sure acts like one. It’s health and function can improve with proper exercise and nutrition, as can it atrophy all the same with neglect. It has now been proven that the brain can also respond positively from massage therapy, as properly applied manipulation and pressure to muscles in…
Alison Ritchie, RMT has been practicing at Broadway Wellness since 2012, and has returned this month from maternity leave. Alison is in year five of the Osteopathic Manual Therapy program, and is presently incorporating her osteopathic skills into her massage therapy practice in Vancouver, BC. What is Osteopathic Manual Therapy? Osteopathy is a term you might…
Vancouver RMT Article of the Week We have introduced fascia in previous blog posts. Its most important quality is its expansiveness- touching every structure in the body and bring everything together. Without the smooth fluid movement of fascia we can expect to experience stiffness and an imbalance.
So, you have just had a great massage, and worked out all those kinks that have been bothering you- but the next day your muscles are a bit stiff and sore? Why?
How do Epsom Salts work to soothe your muscles? Here’s an explanation: Magnesium is one of the main components of Epsom salt. It is a mineral that the body needs and, unlike most minerals, is can absorb through the skin as you soak in the bath. The mineral helps relax skeletal muscles by flushing lactic acid…
Vancouver Chiropractor Article of the Week: The Vagus Nerve You may have heard of “the Vagus Nerve” in passing, have you ever wondered what it is? Read below for a summary, and excellent linked article on the vagus nerve, how it functions, and how to access and stimulate your own to calm your own system…