Giving Shoulder Impingement Up for Lent

The denial is over and the hangover is real. The overindulgences of Mardi Gras can be felt for most of us in our waistline, which causes many to make the painful forty-day commitment to spurn all things fried or sweet. But some of us may have come out of the carnival season with not just a painful fullness in the gut, but a real pain in the shoulder and this is no joke. If you felt a pain when reaching up to throw or catch a bead, you may have a condition called shoulder impingement.

Shoulder impingement results when the rotator cuff muscles and fibrous capsule of the shoulder joint get pinched around the shoulder joint. Symptoms include difficulty reaching above shoulder height and pain felt on the outside of the shoulder.  Over time, shoulder impingement can lead to rotator cuff tears. Many times shoulder impingement is due to joint stiffness, muscle imbalances, and weakness, all of which can be addressed in physical therapy.

If this sounds like you, challenge yourself this lent to give up the time it takes to exercise for your shoulder’s health.   A physical therapist can design a program that addresses your specific needs so that your shoulder is ready to hold an umbrella for Jazz Fest.  I promise it’s not as painful as giving up fried or sweet foods.