Quote:
Originally Posted by SD72
Hi Lisha
I just had a first rib resection last week as well. Doing well, just stopped oxy today. Ibuprofen and Tylenol are working to keep pain tolerable. I agree about the slow/no stretching. Dr.Donahue at MGH has me doing head tilts and arm walk up a wall but only to tightness, not pain. I also have numbness in my left arm and hand. I was told it would take a few months for it to subside. Like Jo*mar said watch the quick reflex motions.
Best of luck to you
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I was likewise prescribed head tilts, look to the side, nods, and look up (10 second holds per rep, 5 reps three times a day). In addition I was told to do wall climbs to the front and to the side. I started these before I left the hospital.
Everyone is different, but in two days I had nearly full range of motion. I can get my torso flat against the wall with my arms up in front. The side raises were a little painful in my back at first, but not any more. . . .
The longer you wait to do this stuff, the harder it will be to get your range of motion back. You want you body to heal adjusted to movement, else you'll probably end up ripping something later or be saddled with a frozen shoulder.
Stretch, but not into pain. The recommended 10 second holds probably aren't long enough. I started holding for 30 seconds, else you can relax into the stretch.
At first sneezing was very unpleasant. I just sneezed twice and it didn't hurt. (I'm a day shy of two weeks out from surgery.)