The real recovery journey
This journal follows my shoulder recovery as it happens. No rushing and no pretending. Just the work, the patience and the small signs that the body is beginning to rebuild.
Recovery rarely moves in a straight line. These updates show what progress can look like when success is measured by control, confidence and consistency rather than speed.
A week earlier, the bicep curl was limited and completed without added weight. This time, the movement included a 792 gram bottle. It may sound tiny, but during recovery a small controlled increase can mean a great deal.
A controlled 792 gram curl. The next target is one kilogram, but only when the movement is ready.
Today’s pulley work was about gentle, assisted movement. The stronger arm did the work while the recovering shoulder followed within the range allowed by the rehabilitation plan.
Gentle pulley-assisted movement, completed slowly and without forcing the shoulder.
Today feels like another small but meaningful step forward in my shoulder recovery. I am sleeping much better, and although there is still a little discomfort, it is far more manageable than it was earlier in the recovery.
A few weeks ago I was using no weight at all. Last week I used a 792 gram bottle of water. Today I was able to use a 2 kilogram weight. I am not treating that as a reason to push harder. It is simply a sign that things are moving in the right direction.
I am now just over a week away from the point when the sling is due to come off. That will feel like a big milestone after wearing it for so long, but it will also be the start of the next stage of rehabilitation.
The video records today’s 2 kilogram milestone. The progress matters, but the shoulder still sets the pace.
Five weeks after shoulder surgery, I’m beginning to appreciate how much the little improvements add up.
At my last update, I was sleeping much better and the discomfort was more manageable. I’d also recorded my progress from no weight, to a 792 g water bottle, to a 2 kg weight. Having those moments on video helps me see how far I’ve come.
My latest clip shows another part of recovery: finding ways to keep moving while one arm is still in a sling. Small moments of movement help me feel more like myself.
The next milestone is the planned removal of the sling, following my clinical team’s guidance. I’m looking forward to it, while remembering that rehabilitation will continue beyond that point.
For now, I’m taking it one day at a time. Appreciating the progress, respecting the recovery and keeping patient.
These videos record my personal recovery. Exercises, weights and timings should follow your own surgeon’s or physiotherapist’s advice.
A short recovery clip: pulley-assisted movement followed by two further exercises.
30 September: keeping agile.
The next small win
I am looking forward to that milestone, but I will keep letting the shoulder and the rehabilitation plan set the timetable. Quality before quantity. One day at a time.