tried to keep up with current research about
RA for my sister, but during that same period
of time, I had been struggling with a stubborn
case of tendonitis. My shoulder had been
bothering me for almost eighteen months,
partly because I played competitive volleyball
and hadn’t let it rest long enough to fully heal
after a minor injury. After I played at USAV
Nationals, I swore that I would let my
shoulder heal. And I did rest it, but it didn’t
get better.
Being a physical therapist with a special
interest in athletics, I knew a thing or two
about facilitating the healing of connective
tissue. I consulted with other therapists and
two orthopedists and ended up getting a series
of MRIs that revealed no structural damage to
my shoulder. Something was promoting
ongoing inflammation in my shoulder’s
connective tissues, but I didn’t know what.
The research paper I was reading outlined
a theory about how certain dietary proteins