At the end of an Awareness through Movement® lesson, designed for participants to begin to notice their movement patterns and experience a stronger sense of their body movements, one student shared a story. She had been told by a new, young orthopedic doctor that their was nothing more she could do her frozen shoulder except surgery. She went on to say he told her, “Don’t waste your money on any more physical therapy or anything, surgery is the only cure.”
Curious I asked what part of her shoulder would be operated on. She was unable to tell me. I told her that knowing more about what was wrong and what would be fixed is part of the brains healing process.
I asked her if I could take a look at her arm and shoulder. Agreeing to this she let me take a look and I discovered that it was far more expansive than her shoulder. As soon as I picked up her arm she mentioned that her wrist and elbow hurt from the computer mouse. In her mind a shoulder operation will fix this as well.
I suggested to her that it would be a good idea to continue with some type of therapy as in my opinion the cause was much broader than what a simple operation could cover. An operation is not going to teach her how to use and integrate her full range of motion and movement ability.
We have been collectively lulled into a false sense that others know what’s best for us without questioning and exploring what we can do differently. This gal told me that she spent years with the phone up to her ear lifted by this shoulder. That is the pattern I felt in her upper quadrant that includes clavicle, underarm, upper back, shoulder-blade and upper arm. Her operation cannot include these areas nor does it change the habit she has developed. The only way she can change her habit is by learning to do something different and an operation alone will not offer this training. New patterns of movement must be introduced to her brain in an aware state. It isn’t something that can be done to her while her mind is off somewhere else. Have you read The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge yet?
You can raise your awareness of your posture and movement, and take your power back moment by moment engaging in this learning opportunity:
Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Movement Education
Recent Comment: Thank you for the amazing session which helped me to better understand the pain and anxiety issues I’ve been dealing with. Very insightful experience. I felt way more relaxed Friday evening and I’m monitoring myself to help ensure I’m releasing tension and breathing properly. Am impressed by it and by your skills. D
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