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Physical therapy/physio a lot, a little, or none at all?

Posted , 8 users are following.

karen42569
karen42569

I'm curious as to all you fellow hippies physical therapy regimine pre-op and post-op. I've read on this forum many different experiences : some have therapy and strain, pull and tear muscles tendons.. then some just do home physio, stretching, walking, swimming etc. Finally those who just let their bodies heal and then slowly regained movement, strength and they did very well. I'm 7 weeks out from LTHR and I feel really good. However, when I go to therapy they literally kick my a$$. I am in so much pain for two days. It's not all muscle pain either. My back, my knees, my hip hurts so bad I feel like I've been hit by a truck. My limp returns and I feel unwell. Is it too much? Is this normal?

What are/were your experiences, how do you feel about the outcome? Thank you very much for your feedback!

2 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Loral
    Loral karen42569

    Posted

    I had 8 sessions of PT at home, and 20 sessions of PT outpatient. I feel that it helped me, and with out it I don't think I would be where I'm at today.
    • karen42569
      karen42569 Loral

      Posted

      Thank you! Loral, did you experience a lot of pain following out-patient therapy?
    • Loral
      Loral karen42569

      Posted

      Some, not too bad. My butt ached but therapist said I was tight in the hip, and I would left pelvic up to walk. I corrected that and I walk perfect now no one would know that I had a hip problem. The only thing now is getting to a kneeling position on the floor from a standing position, tough one.
  • alice85142
    alice85142 karen42569

    Posted

    Karen I had physio whilst in hospital and have an out-patients appoint in a week for more..but think that appoint doesn't sound nice !!  It was easy and gentle in hospital.  Have daily excercises which I tgry hard to do.  I see the post below as had a lot of physio..it does eem to be varied.....

    Ali 2 

    • karen42569
      karen42569 alice85142

      Posted

      I had physio in hospital, it was gentle. I had in-home physio for two weeks, it was more intense and a bit sore during and after. But holy smokes, they have me doing 30+ reps of step ups, marching and straight leg-lifts (on my back) I am so sore, and not a "good" sore either. It's like a deep bone ache in my back and hips. I know I'm using muscles I haven't used in years. So I'm going to just go with it. I just an afraid like others, to strain pull or tear something that isn't used to be worked like that.
  • amanda1827h
    amanda1827h karen42569

    Posted

    Hi,I am 6 months post op! I had my own private physio for a few weeks.Also went to hydrotherapy! This is better for me!As I am too tense.I am a full time carer.so no time for me to chill! Sorry to rant.regards Amanda
  • mic71403
    mic71403 karen42569

    Posted

    Hi Karen,

    greetings!

    This sounds a double edged sword! I had NO physio before or after....only abiet useful exercise books.

    I've always felt cross cos I had no hospital physio support ( I now go back to my gym PT), but if its painful to that extent that sounds counter-productive. Yuk.

    Can you gently but firmly TELL the physio that you are in pain after, and request a gentler regime? Exercises at 7 weeks important, walking too, but do rest too.

    good luck in healing

    mic

    x

  • linda72833
    linda72833 karen42569

    Posted

    Wow!  Well, my physical therapist did tell that physical therapists tend to be Nazis in their regimes.  My therapist comes to my home 3 times a week and I have exercises that I am to do every day.  I did the same exercises pre-op for a few weeks.  The first weeks after the surgery some of them were very difficult but they've gotten easier (I'm in week 5).  My therapist said that when you go to physical therapy (rather than them coming to you), they tend to be meaner (okay, he didn't say meaner but that was the gist of it) than when they come to you.  When you go to them, you're on their territory and they're in charge!  It shouldn't hurt that much.  A little discomfort is normal but it shouldn't be that painful.  I pushed some of my exercises a little too hard the day before yesterday (of my own accord) and when my physical therapist came yesterday I told him what I'd done and that I was in a good bit of pain because of it.  I was willing to see what I could do while he was there.  He agreed.  Afterwards, he said, "Now you should take it easy for the rest of the day and rest those sore muscles."   So my take on it is that you do the exercises at home that they want you to do [u]up to what you can do.[/u]  Listen to your body.  I overdid it and paid later.  Try to do a little more as time goes on, not necessarily a little more each day (because some days you feel just awful) but as time goes on.  Walking is good.  Whenever I finish my exercises or a bit of walking, I ice down those parts that I know tend to get sore (for me, knees, hip, thighs).  That seems to help a lot.  Don't let the physical therapy Nazis rule your life!  You need to do physical therapy to increase your muscle strength, flexibilty and mobility but not to the point of injury!
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