Years ago while playing high school football I injured my shoulder. I had a hold of the ball carrier when a member of his team ran directly into my outstretched left arm laying it flat across my chest. The pain was immediate. I remembered hearing a pop, and another when I hit the ground. I thought this was my shoulder dislocating and then popping back into the socket. I sat out for 1 play and then went back into the game. This turned out to be a bad idea. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had torn my rotator cuff muscle. As soon as the play began I realized I had no strength in my shoulder at all.

A few years after that had happened I had an X-ray of my shoulder, as it still wasn’t feeling quite right. The doctor told me that no problems showed up on the X-ray and sent me on my way. Now, nearly 10 years later, my wife has begun working on my sore shoulder, and has determined the cause. My wife is a massage therapist and she is very good at what she does. This makes it even harder for me as the pain is very intense when she is doing her work. I find myself writing in agony, with only the thought of a better, stronger shoulder to sooth my mind. After ten years, muscles have found ways to compensate for my damaged rotator cuff. Meaning undue stress has been put on my deltoids, and various other muscles which, despite my best efforts, I’m still unable to pronounce.

3 days into treatment
Three days into the treatment of my decade old injury has shown me the light. While massage is commonly revered for it’s ability to induce relaxation, the healing properties should not be overlooked. It is still quite sore, with limited range of motion without pain, but I can feel that it is healing and getting better.

For this I must thank my wife. I hate you when you are massaging my shoulder, because it hurts like hell. But, as you state after you tell me to “shut up and quit whining,” it truly is for the best.