Coping with a broken shoulder - Part 3

In a curious way the post-surgery is the most difficult stage of the procedure dealing with a broken shoulder.

My General Practitioner sent me off to see the specialist who looks over such injuries.

After taking all the necessary X-Rays, he in turn gave me a list of physiotherapists to initiate the necessary practice.

Choose one from the list, in my case a convenient five-minute walk from home, and on with the exercises.

A nice European touch to this particular story was the fact that the young lady, who was asked to take care of my initial therapy way, was French - from Lyon. So here you are, a British national living in Germany (but who also used to teach French for a living), dealing with a Frenchwomen working here. Language of choice for communication? German of course (this is Frankfurt, not Humberside, Manchester, Lyon or Corrèze (UKIP / EXP supporters would just love that!)).

The sling was unfastened but not removed for the early exercises. The first problem was that, due to wearing the sling and the results of the operation, the lower arm had badly swollen around the elbow, and was badly marked in a hue of purple and ochre. So fist clenching at regular intervals was recommended as a cure (works - don't ask me why!).

There were at first three visits a week to see the therapist. The intensity of the exercises increased as the swelling went down, the shoulder became more used to the fitting, and the nerves and muscles started to work more freely.

Sleeping at night remained a problem though, and painkillers (prescribed at two a day) seem to work only during the day. Sitting, walking, standing still - there were no problems. Lying down was uncomfortable, though, and waking up in the night with your arm proverbially screaming at you .... Yes, well.

After two weeks it was possible to remove the sling, the swelling in the arm had subsided, and the bruising had diminished considerably.

Apart from the exercises actually during therapy, you were expected to exercise at home. Important at the same time was to recognise the fact that you would not be advised to cross the pain barrier, or go that much beyond it. The warning signs serve a purpose. Cure not achievement - the fundamental consideration in cases like this!

Over a period of six weeks the number of exercises increased considerably so that you had some eight exercises to carry out over a five minute stretch three to four times a day (in my case that has become at 10:00. 12:30, 16:00 and 18:30). You were not recommended to try too much too early in the morning or too late at night.

After eight weeks my therapist left to take up a job in Strasbourg, and this has now become a wonderfully funny lady whose German accent I have not yet pinned down (refined Hessisch?). The number of weekly sessions is down to two from three, and the visits to see the specialist are now at 6-week intervals.

Wharrever else you do not stop exercising. It has been mentioned to me that a number of patients expect the therapist to do everything for them, and they have no responsibility to improve things themselves. Not to be recommended.

As of today (12 weeks to the day after the accident), the arm will extend both horizontally and vertically almost to its full extent unassisted, the pains in the shoulder are almost non-existent, and the capacity for movement is close to normal - over short periods of time.

Expecting too much too soon is a danger to avoid, though. There is still some way to go before everything will become quasi-normal (the metal plate will ensure that total normality will never again be the case), and there is no point in becoming overconfident. Work, exercise, constant monitoring of progress - all remain significant. And there is once in a while a severe nervous pain which wakes you up at 03:00 .... The muscles and nerves are still learning to adjust, and it takes time and requires patience.

The more you exercise, the better the results that you will achieve, but patience is a necessity, and it is always to be remembered that the shoulder is a significant contributor to all arm movements and the fundamental junction point between the arm and the rest of the torso, so potential complications abound.

I remain though thankful to all the people in the German medical system at all levels who have guided me through the last 12 weeks. Everyone has made a positive contribution and helped my progress significantly, and I would state my full satisfaction with all the services which they have offered.