Does the word impingement mean anything to you? Really, anything at all? Cause it didn't to me. Well, before today, that is.
See, for the last few days my shoulder has been hurting. And then today, it started really feeling badly--hurting to lift my arm anywhere above shoulder height. And I lift my arm above shoulder height a lot during the show...So, I decided to go see the physical therapist and she told me:
- I have a deltoid strain
- I have an impingement in my...uh, shoulder (?) now that I think about it, I can't quite remember where she said the impingement is...oops...I know it's somewhere around there!
- And I have enough knots in my shoulder to impress even a boy scout, I should say.
- Oh wait, she also said I should ice it...
*walks off to get some ice*
Got the ice and it's kind of awkward trying to balance it as I type...But a silly little bag of ice can't keep a good blogger down, right?
What else? Oh, between shows today I signed five hundred posters.
Yeah, that's not a typo--500.
We are raising more money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and so we are auctioning off signed posters with all the proceeds going to the above. It did not take as long as I had anticipated, but it's during those multiple signings that you start to get envious of people whose parents' named them Jo Eck.
*uh-oh, ice just fell...and I thought I sealed the baggie, but apparently I didn't because the ice is now all over the floor*
Okay, ice is back in the bag and back on my shoulder so you can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Oh, and so I probably wouldn't really want my name to be Jo Eck, but that is a heck of a lot easier to sign than Jessica Latshaw. Although if you saw my signature, you would see a clear J followed by a scribbly line and a clear L followed by another scribbly line, so it really isn't that hard to do. However, we had a signing party and made a huge circle, assembly line style, and if you happened to get stuck behind some people who fancied themselves Van Gogh when it comes to perfecting their signatures, adding onto that the fact that they have three names, well then, you find yourself waiting to write your own J, scribble, L scribble, and getting just a little impatient about it...And something else that I am getting impatient about is that the ice has fallen off my shoulder three times since I started this paragraph, but I just didn't want to mention it. Until now, I guess.
Oh, and I am not calling myself a saint or anything, but I did sign all 500 posters with the impingement and the strained deltoid...And I am not gonna lie; I mentioned it at least once or five times during the process...
One more thing: tonight I saw a really good movie, Ghost Town. It was funny--that kind of awkward British humor that I really enjoy--plus, it was really moving at points. I laughed a ton and actually cried. But after describing last Sunday's show to you, you probably figure that's no big feat--to make me cry, that is.
Okay, going to bed now. Those of you who pray, I wouldn't mind you figuring in my impingement and strained deltoid the next time you talk to God.
And because I just realized I did not explain this before, an impingement is just a fancy word for pinch; but really, who wants to be constantly pinched? Not me.
11 comments:
is it in the trapezis quadrant.. shoulder blade crossing into chest?
Regardless, more prayers are on their way up for you. I hope things smooth out soon for you.. but you know what they say when it rains it pours. However, it's all about havin a big enough umbrella :)
You mean you have a nerve impingement?
They are painful. Also, I believe in my humble opinion without going out of my scope of practice, that you should ice the deltoid for the first 24 hours and then alternate ice and heat. Ice is pretty much for inflammation. Does it hurt when you move your arm from your side and lift it toward your head? That is what your deltoid does...abduction. I have had a strain in my right deltoid before and it hurts a lot. You should find a good massage therapist that does sports massage.
beingawesome--not sure if it is the trapezis quadrant...wish I knew more about this stuff...but I appreciate your prayers so much!
merry--not sure if it is a nerve impingement or just an impingement (is there a difference?)...and I take your opinion seriously because I know how good you are at what you do--thank you!!!
oops, mer, just realized i didn't answer your question: yes, it does hurt to move my arm from the side towards my head...also, my right clavical hurts to the touch in one spot, which is kind of weird.
I'll be praying.
I know what you mean about signing your name, my full name is a tiny bit longer than yours (and no scribbling)....thankfully I am not signing it anywhere near 500 times!
uh that reminds me of when, before Misery Index came out the label had us sign 5000! posters. its funny cause you start with your name,maybe a funny statement, and by the end, your are smearing the pen across the poster.
Jessica my friend I am sorry about the shoulder :( 3 things...
Did you do anything to it that you can remember (fall, run into anything etc?)
Right clavicle hurts in one spot closer to your neck or closer to your arm?
Impingement in the shoulder is not typically referring to a nerve but the squashing of the tiny little space that exists between the head of your arm bone and the top of the "socket" that it moves it. Picture a floor and a ceiling...for some reason the floor of your shoulder may be coming too close to the ceiling and squashing all the furniture in the room (aka, tendons, ligaments, bursa). How much overhead arm movement to you do in one show and when you do put your arm overhead, elbow next to ear....is your palm facing away from you or toward you?
May seem silly but may give me some insight into your impinging :-) Ice and Ibuprofen are good. If you can answer those 3 things I may be able to help a little more....
Miss ya!
Way to be so beloved you're getting medical advice on-line! :) I, being a bookkeeper, have no medical advice. As a mom, I would advise ibuprofen - the cure-all :) Miss you, but loving you and laughing with you long distance!
Paula--thanks for the care! let's see: I can't remember doing anything to hurt it, specifically. The clavicle hurts in one spot close to my neck, to the touch. and i do a ton of movement with my arm over my head, I think more with my palm facing towards me...
Of course I appreciate anything you have to say!
Josh--my last signature was quite beautiful, actually, the only one that was legible (probably because I knew that I didn't have to sign anymore...it's like how the horse always picks up its pace when it get's close to home...er, does that analogy make sense? I am exhausted, so maybe not...) and eek--5000!!!! did you do them all in one sitting?!?!
And Kathie--yes, your name is pretty long.. But with pretty being the key word:-)
And Michele--miss you too (goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway!)
Oops...sorry so late in response! I hope the shoulder is better?
Frankly to me it sounds more like an overuse muscle or ligament strain (although I am not there to actually test you!). We give this kind of injury and trendy name like microtrauma (little bit of injury that acquires over time with repeated movements). The best solution is rest. Haha, chuckle chuckle right? Not rest time available for the actor usually :( Another thing that may help is a few exercises for your upper back when you lift that may help strengthen some muscles around your shoulder that may help the overhead motions not cause so much microtrauma. Also try massaging the sore spot on your clavicle with an ice cube (not always the most fun sorry!) for about 10 min. This isolated icing seems to help a lot of people with tenderness in ONE spot. Let me know if you want any exercises to try! -Paula
paularichwine@gmail.com
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