All that changed earlier this year when he felt a pop in his right shoulder and was unable to continue with his exercise due to pain. He was told that he needed surgery to repair his rotator cuff tear. At 70 years of age he was uncertain at that point whether he would be able to continue his exercise or even ride his Harley again.
His surgery was in May and he began his rehabilitation at Total Rehab Center on June 17th. According to his Physical Therapist, Terry Randall, it was the right time to begin his treatment, “We now have a very good understanding of which exercises are helpful in healing the rotator cuff and which ones to avoid. Usually the quicker we start the better the result.”
Mr. Mattson progressed so well in the initial phase of his rehabilitation that he began to think about the plans he made prior to the injury. He wanted to ride his Harley to South Dakota for the 75th anniversary of the Sturgis Rally. The timing wasn’t great since the rally was in Aug, less than 3 months from his surgery. Once he began some strengthening exercises in July he felt that he might just be able to do it. He was given specific exercises to help him strengthen the muscles he would need to ride his bike over 3000 miles.
Mr. Mattson completed his ride without a problem. While he still has a way to go to recover all of his strength he now knows that he will be back in the gym, riding, and not giving up the activities that he enjoyed prior to having his injury and surgery. The years of consistent exercise strengthened his muscles and tendons, making his recovery faster, and more complete than it might have been.
If you have questions about your injury, joint pain, or exercise program, call on the Physical Therapists at Total Rehab Center. We can help you decide on the best treatment options. The quicker you begin… the better the result.