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32<br />
<strong>The</strong> Masked Stranger?<br />
By: Mary Richard / Health Fitness<br />
Even though there are allowances for those<br />
fully vaccinated to go without a mask, I<br />
will continue<br />
wearing one in large crowds. I still<br />
wear one at grocery stores, and<br />
anywhere I feel uncomfortable<br />
without one.<br />
Most of us have survived these<br />
many months of the pandemic.<br />
Now is the time to devote to<br />
bringing ourselves back to whatever<br />
“normal” is… or at least close to it.<br />
It was a challenge to teach my<br />
Zumba classes wearing a mask all<br />
these months and also trying to<br />
recognize the “masked strangers”<br />
who were in my classes. Most of them I could figure out, but some were<br />
unrecognizable.<br />
Yep, we grew accustomed to looking directly into the eyes and<br />
compliment the unusual masks that were worn. I wore reusable cloth<br />
ones - mostly cutesy patterns (<strong>Vegas</strong> Golden Knights, cats, holiday<br />
themed, etc.).<br />
Shoulder Pain<br />
By: Kyo Mitchell / A Healthier You<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are many possible causes for shoulder<br />
pain. One of the most common is a rotator<br />
cuff injury.<br />
Understanding such an injury is fairly simple. Your upper arm<br />
bone (Humerus) is held in place in the shoulder socket largely by<br />
four muscles and their associated tendons. <strong>The</strong>se muscles area called<br />
supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.<br />
Collectively they are known as the rotator cuff muscles.<br />
When you have a rotator cuff injury, one of these muscles or its<br />
associated tendon is involved. Usually, it is the tendon which is how a<br />
muscle connects to a bone.<br />
Either through repetitive motion which wears down the tendon or<br />
through an act of excessive exertion, the tendon becomes damaged.<br />
Think of the tendon as a rope made up of one hundred strings. When it<br />
is damaged only ten of the strings may be broken (Minor injury) or 80<br />
or all one hundred strings many be damaged (Major injury).<br />
Tendon injuries take a long time to heal. This is due to the fact that<br />
the tendon does not have a direct blood supply.<br />
All the material to rebuild the tendon must reach the damaged area<br />
by diffusion. This means that depending on the extent of the damage,<br />
even mild to moderate injuries to a tendon can take months, or even a<br />
year to fully heal.<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
I made sure to carry a few in my purse at all times. And I continue to<br />
do so in the event that I need to wear one inside a facility.<br />
It will be interesting to see how much longer we will be wearing our<br />
masks and when we will all be comfortable without one.<br />
Many businesses (i.e. doctor<br />
offices, etc.) are still requiring a<br />
mask for their own safety. I really<br />
have no problem with that and will<br />
continue following whatever rules<br />
are in effect.<br />
I understand that the cosmetic<br />
counters had a run on lipsticks<br />
when the mask mandate was lifted.<br />
I surely saved money on cosmetics<br />
these several months!<br />
I only had to wear makeup from<br />
the nose bridge up! Sometimes even<br />
going without makeup.<br />
So let’s continue following the rules where stated and we shall soon<br />
be a “mask-less” society as we were “pre-pandemic.”<br />
POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND HAPPY HEALTH TO ALL!<br />
Mary Richard is a long term supporter of senior fitness. She<br />
teaches Zumba, toning and dance classes throughout the Las <strong>Vegas</strong><br />
Valley. She can be reached at zumbaqueen@cox.net.<br />
Even when the pain<br />
is gone, it is necessary<br />
to use caution with the<br />
area affected because the<br />
tendon may not be back<br />
to 100% of its previous<br />
strength yet.<br />
Surgery may be<br />
necessary in severe<br />
cases, but it should be<br />
a last option. Like all problems in medicine, it is best to catch the<br />
problem before it becomes too severe. Imaging is the best way to assess<br />
a problem, but orthopedic testing can help identify an early problem.<br />
To check supraspinatus, place your palm on the side of your leg and<br />
lift it straight out to the side. To check infraspinatus and teres minor<br />
put your upper arm next to your body with your palm up like you are<br />
holding a bowl of soup. Rotate your forearm outward.<br />
To check subscapullaris, place the back of your hand on your lower<br />
back and then lift your hand off your back like you are reaching<br />
backward. If any of these movements cause you pain, see your physician.<br />
Dr. Kyo Mitchell served as faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle<br />
and Wongu University in Las <strong>Vegas</strong> for over a decade. Dr. Mitchell<br />
practices in Summerlin and can be reached at 702-481-6216 or<br />
rkyomitchell@gmail.com.
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