Q: Stop doing any activity that causes pain. As you start resuming activities, you should still avoid lifting anything over 1 pound (0.45kg), engaging your biceps muscle (such as by turning a screwdriver), and raising your injured arm above your head. Additionally, you should begin stretches and exercises once you can do so without experiencing pain. While you can manage a minor strain or sprain at home, it's best to consult a physical therapist for a more serious partial or complete tear. Bend forward from your waist and place your unaffected hand on a table or counter for support. Lean on the support so your injured arm hangs freely at your side. Gently swing your arm forward and backward with a slight circular motion 10 times. Keep your torso straight and knees slightly bent as you lean forward. Don't arch your back or lock your knees. Do 2 sets of 10 stretches up to 3 times per day. Stop stretching if you experience any pain. Add new stretches to your regimen only if you can do so without feeling pain. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides. Inhale as you draw your shoulders into a shrug. Hold the shrug for 5 seconds, then exhale as you gently release your shoulders. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions. To vary the stretch, raise your shoulders into a shrug, then draw them back to pinch your shoulder blades together. Hold the stretch for 5 seconds, then release. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. With your fingers extended and palm facing forward, bend the elbow of your injured arm to raise your palm toward your shoulder. Bend your arm as far as you comfortably can, then slowly lower it to your side. Do a set of 10 stretches with your fingers extended, then do 10 repetitions with your fist closed. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and bend your affected elbow 90 degrees so your forearm is extended forward. With your fingers spread, slowly rotate your palm so it faces upward and downward (supination and pronation). Turn your palm as far as you comfortably can in each direction until you feel a mild stretch. To do internal rotations, bend your elbow at a 90 degree angle, and keep your upper arm close to your side. Close your hand in a loose fist, hold your forearm straight in front of you, then slowly rotate it toward your chest as far as you comfortably can. For external rotations, bend your elbow, keep it close to your side, and slowly rotate your forearm away from your body. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions for each stretch. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your sides, and hands positioned so your thumbs face forward. Keep your elbow straight as you raise your arm forward. If you don't experience pain, continue raising your arm until it's over your head. Try to raise your arm by hinging your shoulder instead of hiking up your shoulder blade. If you don't experience pain or discomfort, do 10 repetitions up to 3 times per day. Do not attempt to raise your arm above your head until the motion is completely pain-free. When you're just starting out, it might help to assist your injured arm by raising it with your uninjured hand. To add resistance to internal and external rotations, hook the band to a doorknob, hold the other end, then rotate your forearm to pull the band away from the door. Bring your forearm toward your chest to do internal rotations, and turn it away from your body to do external rotations. For shoulder flexion stretches, stand on an end of the band and hold the end with your hand. Keep your elbow straight as you raise your arm forward and up over your head. Stop doing any exercises if you experience pain. When you first start out, do resistance biceps curls with 1lb (450g) weights. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight evenly distributed. Keep your elbow close to your side as you bend it to bring the weight close to your shoulder. Hold the curl for 2 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Curl 1 arm at a time, and try to do 2 sets of 8 curls per arm. Do biceps curls 3 times per week. Over the course of the first week, try to gradually work your way up to 12 curls per set. As the exercise becomes easier, increase your weights in 1lb (450g) increments.
A: Resume activities slowly and only after the pain subsides. Begin with pendulum exercises. Perform shoulder shrugs and shoulder blade pinches. Do flexion stretches by bending your elbow 10 times. Do 10 supination and pronation stretches. Do 10 internal and external rotations. Try full shoulder flexion stretches. Use resistance bands after at least a week of pain-free stretching. Do 2 sets of 8 to 12 biceps curls.

Q: Leave a little extra room on the fiberglass gives you a little wiggle room and helps ensure the hole is fully covered. These mesh patches provide an area to place epoxy across the hole of the plastic. Fiberglass patches can be purchased at hardware stores or online. Use a stirring stick to mix the even parts of the epoxy in a bucket or large mixing bowl. A two-part epoxy has a resin and an activator that need to be mixed together to cure. Once it is mixed, it should be very thick and tacky. Wear disposable gloves when working with epoxy, since it may cause skin irritation. Lay cardboard or another disposable liner underneath the plastic, in case it drips through the mesh. Cover the entire area surrounding the hole with a layer of epoxy. Make sure the layers are even so that it dries evenly. It should be thick enough that the fiberglass can stick to it, but not overly thick. There should be enough epoxy so that the entire fiberglass patch sticks to the plastic. Use your hands to push the fiberglass the hole is in the middle of the patch. The excess fiberglass on each side ensures there is enough to cover the hole and will add a smooth transition between the plastic and epoxy. Fiberglass patches are flexible and should conform to the shape of the plastic you are mending. This time as you apply the epoxy, spread it over the part of the mesh that covers the hole. Use just enough epoxy to hide the mesh underneath, but not so much that it is clumpy. You want it to be as close to flush with the plastic as you can. Let the epoxy set on one side of the plastic before transporting the plastic or moving on. As it dries, it will harden and form a solid layer. It takes at least 24 hours for the epoxy to initially cure, though it may take longer in humid climates. Once one side of epoxy and fiberglass has set, apply epoxy to the other side of the plastic and adhere the fiberglass to it. Paint another layer of the epoxy over the fiberglass and let it cure for another 24 hours. This entire process can be done once more with more fiberglass pieces if you need to add more integrity to the plastic. Once both sides of the epoxy are set and dry, you can use sandpaper to smooth any dry epoxy, so it is level with the plastic. Wear a face mask as you sand the epoxy down so you don't breath any dust particles. Epoxy can be painted afterward to match the color of the plastic.
A:
Cut two fiberglass patches 6 inches (15cm) larger than the hole. Mix even amounts of each part of the epoxy in a bucket. Spread a thin layer of epoxy on one side of the hole with a putty knife. Press one of the fiberglass patches onto the epoxy, so that the hole is in the center. Paint another layer of the epoxy over the fiberglass. Let the epoxy dry for 24 hours. Repeat the process on the other side of the hole. Sand the epoxy until it is smooth.