Medical treatment in Lithuania

Treatment: Shoulder arthroscopy (keyhole investigation of the shoulder)
Provider: Medical Diagnostic And Treatment Centre
Date: Mar 2016

An injured woman who lives in Sweden decided to undergo medical treatment in Lithuania

Ivi Soomagi, an IT professional, fell on railway station`s stone floor and broke her shoulder in two places. Soomagi sought medical assistance in Lithuania. We asked her a few questions about her decision and experience.

Do you often visit Lithuania?

In 2015, I spent the year working in Vilnius at the Lithuanian branch of my company. This year I expect to travel to Vilnius five or six times for business trips.

When and how were you injured?

I was in Sweden in August (2015) on vacation. On the first day of work following vacation, I was on my way to the Stockholm office when I fell at the railway station. I landed on the stone floor and broke my shoulder in two places. I wasn`t allowed to use my left arm for six weeks and had to use a sling to keep the arm in place.

What help and treatment did you get in Sweden?

Two weeks after the injury, an xray was done, and the orthopedic found that the fracture was healing well. I then had three appointments with physiotherapists. They gave me a list of exercises to complete on my own. Eight weeks later, I returned to Vilnius to continue my work.

Why did you contact the Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Lithuania?

I was doing the exercises that had been prescribed for me, but I wasn`t sure if I was doing them correctly. It also felt as if I wasn`t making progress. I knew I needed some help. I asked the personnel in the human resources office if it would be possible to visit a physiotherapist in Vilnius. They recommended that I contact the Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center.

What were your priorities when choosing a clinic in Lithuania?

I wrote to them, asking if they could help me with the rehabilitation of my arm. They suggested that I make an appointment with sports medicine specialist Dr. Kestutis Linkus. I decided to see if he could help me.

What treatment was prescribed to you in Lithuania and how long did it last?

Nearly every day that I was in Vilnius, I attended a one-hour session with Dr. Kestutis Linkus. During the first half hour, he would help me with the exercises. For the second half hour, he would treat me, conducting rehabilitative treatments such as passive stretching on the arm and shoulder. At the end of the year, I also had a few “Mulligan` sessions with physiotherapist Audrius Šalavejus.

What were your expectations? Did the treatment meet them?

I went to the center with an open mind and had no expectations since this was a new experience for me. It exceeded my expectations. I was very happy when my arm quickly became better. In turn, this motivated me.

I have heard too many stories from friends and colleagues in Sweden about cases in which people do not regain the full functionality of the shoulder since they stop doing the exercises at home. I hope my method (of attending the center) has helped me ensure a full recovery. At the center, I also was able to ask questions or point out when a certain exercise started to cause pain, etc. The treatment was not concentrated only on the shoulder but on the entire body. For example, the treatment included improving balance, conditioning, and the core as well as training the brain to realize that it doesn`t need to protect the shoulder anymore.

How is your shoulder now? What treatment do you plan to undergo in the future?

I still have a long way to go before I will be satisfied with the condition of my shoulder. My contract in Vilnius ended on 31 December and I visited the clinic that very day. Since returning to Sweden, I have been conducting the exercises on my own with occasional visits to the public physiotherapist. I feel that thanks to Dr. Kestutis Linkus I have a solid foundation for my continuing rehabilitation. This experience has also helped me to understand what I can expect from treatment and to set higher standards for the treatment I receive in Sweden.

Do you plan to use the service provided by the Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the future?

Whenever I visit Vilnius, I will plan to stop by the clinic for a follow up appointment.

Trauma is a consequence of a fall

Sports medicine doctor Kestutis Linkus oversaw Ivi`s treatment at the Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center. According to the doctor, Ivi had developed a shoulder contracture. The arm`s functioning was disturbed, her movements were not smooth, and the muscles were weakening. The woman couldn`t even perform simple daily tasks and felt a constant pain which was impeding upon her ability to sleep and work. In order to restore the range of movement of the shoulder joint, Ivi had to do exercises recommended by the doctor for two months with breaks in between. In addition, she had to have her joint exercised passively, i.e. when the patient`s joint is set in motion by a specialist. She also underwent various massage and muscle activation techniques. After two months, the joint`s range of motion was restored 70-80%.

Dr. Kestutis Linkus explained her case:

“During her treatment, the patient learned how to do exercises that ease the symptoms of the fracture. Thus, these exercises helped improve her condition and the pain became minimal. Finally, the patient was able to sleep. A radiographic test was recommended to assess how well the bone had healed. After the radiographic testing, we assessed that the patient was making progress and decided to increase the intensity of her exercises and prescribe some extra exercises for improving her balance and strength as an additional means of protecting her from repeatedly occurring falls`.

According to the doctor, trauma is a consequence of not knowing how to fall: “Trained people fall differently. During a fall, they are less likely to hurt themselves or experience serious traumas. Untrained and older people fall more often as their bodies react to changed conditions too slowly. The body has to adapt quickly, tighten its relevant muscles, and keep its balance; if this system is late, even by a couple of milliseconds, the person falls and breaks bones. The situation is absolutely different if the person is trained; in this case, the injury might be significantly less serious or avoided completely`.