United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I am still new to all of this and I have a couple of questions...

My daughter will be 1 month old on the 18th and I have been doing physio (ROM) since day 2. Her shoulder does not bend back like it used to and her elbow doesn't seem to close as much (sorry - I don't know all the proper terminology yet!). Should I be doing more ROM or is it common to lose range no matter what? I hate to think that I could be preventing her loss of range but I feel like I'm always doing ROM - at least when we're home.

Second question, if Avery's lost some range in her shoulder and elbow - is it gone forever? I bend it as far as it'll go, hold it there and then try to go farther. I do ROM sometimes while she is sleeping (so she is more relaxed). I don't want to injure her joints by pushing them too much but I don't want to be the reason that she never has full movement?!

Thank you,
Bonnie

Bonnie - I think the best thing you can do now is to go back to your therapist - show her what you are doing and have him/her make recommendations.

Your questions are very good questions - between your doctor and your therapist you'll get some good answers.

Until then, just do the regular roms and don't push too much into the joints. Sometimes there are irregularities in the shapes of the bones and irregularities in how the bones sit at any particular time and I know you certainly don't want to do any damage.

Please keep us updated with what you learn however,
give your sweetypie a kissie from us,
francine