The Dots are Connected

Sarah was correct that my "tools" are homemade (somewhat) exercise equipment, but not because I have any desire to go to the gym. Any gym. Emily got it exactly (but she has an insider's edge), namely that I am trying to "unfreeze" my frozen shoulder. Dave gets points for originality of thought.

First, for anyone who doesn't know, I played softball every summer from the time I was eight years old, up until I was eighteen. (And lots of other sports, too.) Then I played softball off and on until the ripe old age of 41, when I broke my foot and decided that was a sign that it was time for me to give it up. So, in late September, I thought nothing of chucking rotten tomatoes off the vine and trying to land them in the compost pile just beyond the driveway. A short throw meant that I'd have to clean tomato paste off the driveway, so I was really giving them the old heave-ho. Until the "Oh, no!" when I knew I had injured my shoulder. I put off going to the doctor hoping that it would get better on its own. Well, it did heal (I suppose) but adhesions apparently form during the healing, and coupled with the fact that I hadn't been using it much for almost four months, it became "frozen." I have pretty good upward motion, but I couldn't reach behind me without excruciating pain. Tucking in a shirt was misery. I finally went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago, and started an eight-week course of physical therapy. Here are the tools as I use them.

There are two stretching exercises, and two strengthening exercises. Here are the stretching: While lying on my back off the edge of the bed, I slowly drop the roll of gift wrap over my head, bring it back, and try to stretch a little further the next time. And the time after that, and... well, you get the picture. And you can tell from this picture that the right arm doesn't want to go as far as the left did.
I throw the scarf over my left shoulder, and use it to pull the right arm up behind me. This is about as far as it goes, and I can't go that far with only my right arm because the muscles have grown weak.
For the strengthening exercises, here is the one piece of equipment being used as intended. For this one, I have to go to the guest room, AKA the daisy room, because I have to hang my arm off the side of the bed, and my arms are too long for our bed. (Or our bed is not tall enough!) I bring the 1.5 lb weight straight up and back down, and then I have to swing it toward the back, too.
Finally, the yellow, stretchy band (given to me by the therapist) is under my left foot, and is pulled from hip level up across my chest more times than I want to do. Lots more. But I can tell there's been a good bit of improvement in two weeks.
Blinky thinks this is a game for her.Now you're in the know. If you ever have a frozen shoulder (and I hope you don't) you know exactly the exercises to do. And I won't even charge you for the information.