Question:

Linda, Walt said it well PT may hurt because you are often using muscles that haven’t moved in that way in a while.  I have had PT and I am a PT (pediatric now).  Last year after major knee surgery, I took a pain pill before I went and iced my knee down when I got home.  They would have iced it for me, but I wanted to combine it with a nap.  I don’t go to PT now, but do many of the same activities at a medically orientated gym.  Sometimes I still need more pain meds and that night may be rough.  However, I continue to go as I want to maintain my strength and ROM and prolong the time before my inevitable TKR. As far as the therapist saying a lot of pain was unusual, I doubt if that person has ever had orthopedic/neuro surgery and has had to undergo therapy themselves.  I remember my first knee surgery a few years out of PT school. I never again doubted patients telling me that it (surgery/therapy) hurt a lot.  I became much more compassionate! Hope you find it helped after your course of therapy is over! — Marj To reply please remove nospam

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Hi: Just wanted to update everyone and see how others have responded to PT.  It has now been 1 month since my back surgery, (bone spurring at L5 and S1).  I started PT a week ago and it is killing me.  Last weekend was horrible. That day’s treatment included testing range of motion, electrical stimulation (which lasted for about 20 minutes) and ultra sound.  I thought I was going to die from the pain on Saturday and Sunday.  On Monday, I had my second appt. and told the therapist that I had A LOT of pain over the weekend.  She said that was unusual!  However, she did not do as much electrical stuff that day.  On Wednesday I went back and had to tell her about my ankle and foot hurting.  I am disappointed that it is hurting because that is what sent me to the doctor in the first place, prior to surgery.  Anyway, after she and another therapist did some looking at my back while I bent and did all sorts of unnatural movements, the other therapist determined that above L5 my spine is ‘hypermobile,’ apparently compensating for my spine below S1, which is pretty much frozen.  His suggestion was to try to get movement back in that part of the spine!  Let me tell you, it was NOT fun!  So I know I am whining majorly, and I am sorry. I guess I am looking for sympathy because I have to go today in a couple of hours.  I hope this weekend is better!  Now I have empathy for others that suffer during PT.  However, I am wondering if my experience is the experience of any here?  Thanks for listening.  Linda

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Hi: Just wanted to update everyone and see how others have responded to PT.  It has now been 1 month since my back surgery, (bone spurring at L5 and S1).  I started PT a week ago and it is killing me.  (snipped)

I know you don’t want to hear this, but I almost always hurt more after the start of PT.  Fortunately, PTs are usually very responsive to my complaints and will do what they can do relieve my pain.  But the process of physical therapy requires that you use muscles that haven’t been used in a while and that joints that don’t want to move are forced to do so. It sounds to me like your PTs are doing what they need to do. Micro-stim and ice after the treatment session can reduce post-therapy pain, so ask for more if you need it. Good luck. Walt Hanks

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(((((Linda))))) sorry you are having such a rough time of it. I always refer to PT as Physical Terrorpy, lol, it is torture under the best of circumstances, but usually the end result is all worth it. I hope that holds true for you, too.    Blondie — Friendship is not created by what we give, but more by what we share, it makes a whole world of things easier to bear ~ unknown

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Anyway, after she and another therapist did some looking at my back while I bent and did all sorts of unnatural movements, the other therapist determined that above L5 my spine is ‘hypermobile,’ apparently

Sweetie, NONE of that sounds like any fun at all. If I were you, I would go in there with a pain pill in my tummy! No fun at ALL! Char "Remember, I’m pulling for ya’.  We’re all in this together."  Red Green

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{{{{{{Linda}}}}}}} ~Krissy See my pond: http://members.aol.com/KrissyJo/ponds.html Akron, Ohio http://arthritisinsight.com Knowledge is power…support is essential.

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Thanks for the insight.  I am sure you are probably right about the therapist probably not having experienced orthopedic/neuro surgery or therapy.  She is pretty young and very active.  Having experience migraines all my life, I find it difficult for ones that have asprin or exedrine relieved ‘migraines’ don’t truly understand that pain either. Thank you for you help.  Linda

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Hi Linda,      The PT I’ve been through post surgery for my knees wasn’t that bad. However, my experience with PT for back/neck/shoulder stuff is the same as yours. I’m currently back at it and yep, it hurts. I spent 4 months in PT last year and then had an arthroscopy on my right shoulder in January. The shoulder pain and some neck/back pain began to get worse again and my ortho sent me back to PT. The first day I went I forgot to take pain killers before I went and ended up coming right back home afterward, took a sick day from work. Taking something for pain before you go helps alot!     I went this morning before work and I’m hurting. I probably will be for a couple days, then it’ll get better just in time for Monday morning’s torture session! :) The pain now is different than what I went in with. My shoulder’s gotten better as my muscles have strengthened. My neck is worse. According my physical therapist that’s good as the PT has chased the symptoms back into the joint that’s actually the problem.     With neck/back/shoulder PT you just have to be patient. In my first round of this it probably took 6-8 weeks before I could really tell that it was helping. It’s frustrating. Just be gentle with yourself and the ice pack is your friend! Raven :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi: Just wanted to update everyone and see how others have responded to PT.  It has now been 1 month since my back surgery, (bone spurring at L5 and S1).  I started PT a week ago and it is killing me.  Last weekend was horrible. That day’s treatment included testing range of motion, electrical stimulation (which lasted for about 20 minutes) and ultra sound.  I thought I was going to die from the pain on Saturday and Sunday.  On Monday, I had my second appt. and told the therapist that I had A LOT of pain over the weekend.  She said that was unusual!  However, she did not do as much electrical stuff that day.  On Wednesday I went back and had to tell her about my ankle and foot hurting.  I am disappointed that it is hurting because that is what sent me to the doctor in the first place, prior to surgery.  Anyway, after she and another therapist did some looking at my back while I bent and did all sorts of unnatural movements, the other therapist determined that above L5 my spine is ‘hypermobile,’ apparently compensating for my spine below S1, which is pretty much frozen.  His suggestion was to try to get movement back in that part of the spine!  Let me tell you, it was NOT fun!  So I know I am whining majorly, and I am sorry. I guess I am looking for sympathy because I have to go today in a couple of hours.  I hope this weekend is better!  Now I have empathy for others that suffer during PT.  However, I am wondering if my experience is the experience of any here?  Thanks for listening.  Linda

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