During a follow-up visit with my orthopedic surgeon I informed him I did not have any pain the day of my surgery and I slept very well that night. “I don’t feel bad for you for that,” he replied and then began to talk to me about the next step: physical therapy. He wasn’t lying – he did not feel bad for me.
He advised me to place my fingers on the wall and then “crawl the wall,” stopping only when I feel the stretch in my arm and holding it in that position for a second. I tried with my lame left arm and then asked, “Can I do what I do at the gym and just do the heavy work with my dominant and able arm?” “No,” he replied and added, “You definitely do not want to hear it snap or pop.” No I do not – I’ll leave the snapping and popping to my Rice Crispies.
He then instructed me to do another exercise in which I held the doorknob with my left hand and walked out, Vanna style. I tried and was, unfortunately, unsuccessful. Not one to give up right away, I tried again and failed. “Back away from the door,” he advised. I did, he again showed me the exercise, and I gave it another go. I may have to outsource this one.