This week's article is directly related to my own stupidity.  In fact, so are the next two weeks' articles.  This week I will describe what I did to injure my shoulder and next week will discuss my recovery.  My third edition will tell you how my shoulder is progressing, hopefully, back to normal.

Last Friday evening I thought I was 18 years old and could aggressively play baseball again.  Actually it was more of a baseball/dodgeball mix.  Nonetheless, I did a lot of hard throwing without warming up.  I was fine Friday evening, but the next morning when I tried to raise my right arm it wouldn't go.  There was a sharp, stabbing pain from my shoulder to the elbow and my arm was basically hanging at my side.  My first thought, "holy #*!*.   I tore my rotator cuff" and knowing the surgery and rehab involved I was a little nervous.  I then assessed my own shoulder as best I could as if I were a patient in the clinic.  While it is possible that I could have a small rotator cuff tear, it is more likely, based on my assessment, that I irritated the bursa in the shoulder, which basically shut down the rotator cuff and deltoid function of my shoulder.  My Saturday then included very little physical activity, rest and ice and a huge dose of grief dished out by my very pregnant wife.  On Sunday and Monday my shoulder was feeling better and today I'm probably 25% back to normal.  I still cannot lift my arm overhead, but I can lift it and the pain is nearly absent.  In general my range of motion is much better.  I knew better than to do what I did, but many times thinking and doing are two points very distant from one another.  Stay tuned.

Yours in health,

Matt