Physiotherapy...or should that be physchiatry?

Actually it's the former!!! For a few months now my shoulder and arm have been a bit painful. The discomfort comes and goes, but as it's my right arm, it's been a bit inconvenient. It wasn't getting any better, so yesterday I made an appointment at Weybridge Physiotherapy Centre.

Imagine my surprise to discover...after an hour of exercises, and some very painful prodding (all borne with huge bravery!!!) that the pain is a result of a) bad posture - apparently I have humped shoulders and stick my chin out too far, and b) left over issues with a thoracic vertebrae fracture from 21 years ago!!!

According to the lady who treated me, the nerves coming out of the sides of my spinal column (I didn't even know there were any!) have been trapped intermittently because of tension in the area!!!! This is due to my body's memory and protection , via tension, of the old injury site...fascinating... and there's me thinking it was just due to old age...ha ha!!!

The resulting discussion has taught me that the best thing is to let she who must be obeyed (16 year old daughter) muck out her own horse from now on (Yippee), and I also have to re-learn some basic posture.

She's made me a sort of temporary brace out of bandages and sticking plaster which is a kind of figure of eight which wraps around my shoulders and across my back, and I have to go back for the next 4 weeks for manipulation and massage.

The worst part was sitting on the bed in front of a mirror and seeing my saggy grey bra, and my totally un-toned upper torso in horrific close-up, although the nice lady did say that she had seen much worse (!).

I feel like a new woman (or a new man - that would be if I could find one!)

The good news is that I'm not falling apart after all, and there's hope for a pain free few more years!!!!