Being a Mother is a Full Contact Sport
So who says being a mom isn’t dangerous? Apparently, I tore my rotator cuff. What’s a rotator cuff? It’s a group of muscles and tendons inside the shoulder that give it stability and that full range of motion we all enjoy.
From Wikipedia: “ It is an injury frequently sustained by athletes whose duties involve making repetitive throws, such as baseball pitchers, American football quarterbacks, volleyball players (due to their swinging motions), water polo players, team ropers, shotput throwers (due to using poor technique), swimmers, boxers, kayakers, fast bowlers in cricket, and tennis players (due to their service motion). This type of injury also commonly affects orchestral conductors, choral conductor, and drummers due to the swinging motions and other movements used to lead their ensemble. It is commonly associated with motions that require repeated overhead motions or forceful pulling motions.”
They forgot to mention moms!!! My doctor says it’s most likely a minor tear and will heal on its own but I must not further it by straining that area at ALL. She thinks I tore it swimming initially and then the next day extended the tear while lifting my youngest daughter. She’s most likely right, it was sore Tuesday morning but I wasn’t suffering much in range of motion until Abigail dumped spices all over the couch (red pepper!!!) and I leaned over a table to lift her out before she rubbed it in her eyes. I was very frustrated with her so I did lift her very quickly…more like a jerking motion. I felt it give, then and have been in considerable pain since then. My doctor said that to avoid injuring it even further, I am not to do anything that hurts- this isn’t a sprain. OH OK! I had my youngest two kids with me and she laughed a little and said it would be really, really hard but I don’t want surgery and I shouldn’t need it if I just take it easy and let it heal.
So my husband bought me a sling. I can still use the arm, I just have a very small range of motion that is “safe” for use so the sling is helping to prevent me from doing things I shouldn’t be doing (like hooking my bra from the back, opening cabinet doors above my head or, hello moron, lifting the cast iron skillet out of the oven with my right hand).
Oh yeah, it’s my RIGHT shoulder. There are plenty of people the world over who can be dominant with one hand but reasonably proficient with basic things with either hand. That is not me. I am chronically, obsessively right handed, it seems. I keep doing things with my right hand and discovering that actually, I can’t. Like opening a tightly close pickle jar. I just can’t do it! I must either squeeze the jar in towards my body with my right arm (ouch) or twist the lid off with my right while squeezing with my left (ouch). Lovely!
In reading about the rotator cuff, though, I was pretty amazed at its design. I’ve certainly never had occasion to appreciate it before but it’s really amazing all of the different things that my shoulder is used for! I certainly never realized it before. The body is truly an amazing piece of work!
Oh ouch! My dad did the same thing. He didn’t know what was wrong though and kept working …. for a year. He tore it almost all the way through because of it and ended up having to have surgery and months of physical therapy. So, definitely, don’t use it. Let it heal. So much easier said than done when you have a little one, I know, but if my dad would have taken care of it and not been carrying sheet rock up and down ladders with it injured he wouldn’t have hurt it so bad.
Stopping by from SITS!
OUCH! I have had leg injuries with children and not being able to chance them is one thing, not being able to lift them is another! Hope you feel better soon!
Stopping by from SITS!
You pooor thing! OUCH!