A 53 year old housewife has had chronic pain for 5 years from a right supraspinatus tendinitis causing her considerable nuisance in her day to day activities and sports. She has had various therapies: including manual therapy, physiotherapy. Complaints remain to some extent present. When observed one can see a C-scoliotic posture on the left convex, moreover there is a protraction and depression position of the shoulder girdle on the right, with right-handedness.
Therapy:
Classic physiotherapy complemented by intensive posture correction according to Bugnet. See book English version: Basic Exercises: C. Treatment of Scoliosis and Scoliotic defects and D. treatment of the shoulder girdle.
Because the patient is carrying out two exercises 10 times a day, her sense of posture will improve. The mechanical strain to the right shoulder girdle decreased and after 4 months she could move, play tennis, ride a bicycle, paint, etc. almost completely without pain.
Patient's reaction:
The exercises were easy to fit into daily life. I hadn't dared play tennis but due to the build-up and especially the corrected posture it went better than I expected. I have hardly any pain anymore. Now I'm just as active as 6 years ago! I can feel that I am moving my shoulder at the wrong angle if I am tired and I can't maintain my posture during movement. It becomes painful again but that passes eventually.
I feel that I need the exercises. My physiotherapist says consider it the same as brushing your teeth: don't think about it, just do it, it doesn't take long. I haven't had therapy for a six months and it is all going very well!