Work Related Injuries

I have a torn rotator cuff.  How do I know?  Dr. Google told me so!

After doing some extensive research, the recommended treatment is not as drastic as I assumed it would be.  In fact, I can ice it, compress it, and us it less often right here at home, no medical degree required.

Which makes me feel pretty stupid for letting it fester and get worse for a whole year.

Dr. Google also listed some of the more common ways people tear their rotator cuff.  None of them really apply to me, so I’ve come up with a list of possibilities.

1.  Blythe has always preferred to nurse on the right side – so all that holding her in place was just too much for the old shoulder.

2.  My shoulder just couldn’t handle lifting my 35 pound child and carrying her back to bed night after night.  After night. 

3.  Something I’m calling “Soccer Mom Arm” which could also be known as “Mini Van Arm”.  I neither drive a mini van NOR have kids in soccer, but the syndrome is the same, regardless.  I reach into the backseat every two minutes, the whole time I’m in the car with my kids.  Who wouldn’t tear their rotator cuff with all that backward reaching?

4.  Hatch-closing.  On our old SUV, I had to reach up, grab the hatch, and pull it down hard to close it.  Luckily, I am now spoiled with my remote hatch-closer, and I couldn’t possibly love that feature more.

5.  Lifting all those weights.  Back and shoulders are my favorite body parts to work on, so this is a possibility.  Although, why the right and not the left?  Am I lopsided and just haven’t realized it?

6.  My body did not like turning 30 last year and is staging a revolt.  Is it all down hill from here?

Now I’m off to try and wrap an ace bandage around my armpit.  With the current heat index, that bandage should be smelling quite nice by the time I’m done.