Shoulder Weakness/Pain

[tripete]

I woke up this morning after a very rough night. When I move my right arm out in a wing type motion it feels like I cannot raise it and it hurts to try.

Is this likely to be the ALS causing muscle weakness or did I just sleep on it wrong? Will changes happen that quickly from ALS? Is it because the muscles just get to a point where they can't keep going?

 

[azgirl]

My left, weaker shoulder is like that and I don't think it helps that I sleep on that side. It's important to have someone do passive ROM with you to keep it as mobile as possible.

 

[MaxEidswick]

>Is this likely to be the ALS causing muscle weakness or did I just sleep on it wrong? Will changes happen that quickly from ALS? Is it because the muscles just get to a point where they can't keep going?

if you are not doing rom, shoulders freeze up. we have an ot her 2-3 / week just for shoulders ...

 

[tripete]

What is ROM?

 

[azgirl]

ROM is range of motion.

 

[tripete]

sorry stupid question, they have not done any of that with me yet. I stretch on my own but this it the first shoulder issue.

 

[azgirl]

I still do stretching on my own for calves and shoulders, but the passive ROM by someone who knows what they are doing is really important (for shoulders,arms,hands and same for legs, feet and toes). Tillie has several videos posted that you can watch with a friend who is willing to help out. I try to do at least some ROM every day.

 

[gooseberry]

I help steve do the shoulders ,elbow,wrist joints. Ot showed me what to do. It helps relieve the stiffness and pain. She told us it is due to the muscle atrophy but the from will keep things stretched so they don't get tight.

 

[Diane H]

Range of motion exercises are important but so is proper support of the shoulder when sitting up. Armrests must be high enough to keep the shoulder joint from being pulled by the weight of the arm. Without support the shoulder will subluxate -- partially dislocate.

 

[lgelb]

Support when lying down, too, as Tripete discovered, so at some point bending the arm and using elbow/wrist pillows may help.

 

[tripete]

I show no visible wasting in my upper arm and today the pain is a little less but I still cant move my arm behind my leg (makes wiping at potty time difficult as I had never practiced using my left hand). My nurse from the clinic said I probably just slept on it wrong as it does not come on this quick. I have to wonder though as I had problems before the "bad" sleep reaching back or up. It is so hard to tell if things are the disease or other things and your mind just makes them disease related.

 

[lgelb]

Tripete,
"It" [loss of function] can manifest more quickly than your nurse seems to think. But whether this is ALS progression or a bump on the road, everyone is right to recommend daily ROM exercises and massage, and support in all positions for the shoulders. These strategies can only help and can keep your shoulders/wrists/fingers (as with all other joints) helpful/comfortable for longer.

 

[gooseberry]

Pete, we have use a wet warm hand towel on steves shoulder before we stretch. It helps with mobility and achiness

 

[lgelb]

We used microwaveable heating pads, from Comfort Bags.

 

[affected]

We used heating pads too, really helps especially if the air is at all cold.