For the first week, I did my exercises whilst watching the dvd I’d got from Nietse, and my wife helped me with alignment.  A couple of times tried using a mirror, but much better with some help as the mirror did not show behind my back. As I write this, I’m in week 4. 

The pain in my left shoulder is completely gone.  It’s as like it was never there.  My right shoulder has greatly improved.  I can throw a ball, I can swim, but I can’t get do an overhand chin-up.  I can now get my right arm 3 inches higher up my back than I could at the start when I first used the broom.  I am so enthused by the results that I am now checking out Pilates classes, to ensure I keep the rest of my core strong. 

I am back in the gym – I love the gym and I am not going to stop, but I am now much more aware of exercising my shoulders so that I evenly exercise them to ensure the small muscles are exercised first, and that the whole shoulder is exercised evenly to ensure the ball stays in the socket properly and is not moved to one side by exercising/ignoring one part of it too much.

Got bad shoulders?  Take this Advice. consider, Stop Smoking by Self-Hypnosis

1. Go to see a physiotherapist first.  Before the doctor.  Before the surgeon.  Before going to the drugstore.
2. Don’t wait until it’s too late.  Joint pain is not inevitable.  No pain no gain, does not apply to joints.  Or tendons, or cartilage for the matter.
3. Painkillers and anti inflammatory drugs are not bad as such, but better to treat the cause of the pain and inflammation, rather than to just dull it.
4. This is the most important. Find a physio who has a video camera. look at, Pilates   When you ring up, make sure they have one or be prepared to take a friend and video your exercise plan. look at, Your Practice - Thriving not just Surviving   By ensuring you have such a video, you will be confidant of what your exercises are and how to also look at, sample perform them correctly. 

I’m not going to play water have a look at, Aromatherapy Guide polo anymore.  I love the game, but the training have a look at, Your Practice - Thriving not just Surviving is all about strengthening one side of the shoulder so it’s not for me anymore.  I’m thinking now though.... triathlons.  I’m strong, I’m fit, and I can swim again. 

I’m off to buy myself a kickass bike, with the money I saved from not having shoulder surgery.