Dreading Physical Therapy

[dw6928]

I recently started outpatient PT and the change from inhome to outpatient was enormous. My PT is extremely aggressive especially with forcing my knee flat by force against the table. He loves to tell you that you can see his fingerprints on the knee after the procedure.
He really, really hurt me last time. I got off the table dizzy and in pain. After the session, he insisted I ice and take pain meds because he knew what was coming. I am now dreading going to PT. Is is appropriate to tone this guy down a bit? All of the other machine exercises are wonderful and I can feel how positive they are. It is this one issue that is making me dread these visits.

 

[gatiger]

DW, I gotcha on this one. I can tell you from my experience, and from what the rest of the group has said, that therapy is rough. There is no way to avoid pain, it is part of the recovery. Some PTs are more aggressive than others, after all is said an done, there is more than one way to skin a cat. TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDS before you go, try to get someone to drive you. If I could a dollar for every time I've had someone tell me "No pain-No gain" since this started, I wouldn't have to go back to work. However, it is true; progress is painful and it is erratic. A wise 'wordsmith' (lol) described the progress as being like a stock market report, lots of ups and downs, but as long as you feel it is moving upward over all it is OK. Try as hard as you can to do what they ask, but remember that it is YOUR knee. You are ultimately the one in control of hard you can push things, how much effort you put into it; how much pain you are able to withstand. Talk to the other guys on here, read old threads, talk to your PT; the bottom line is therapy causes pain, but each one individual has to find their limit as to what they can handle. I wish I could more for you dude, that's all I got.

 

[dw6928]

Thanks; I know down deep that the PT's goals are the same as mine. It is just this one (assisted passive extensions). I just had my wife do 4 sets w/ me prior to my PT session. Of course she is not as aggressive as my PT (she hates to see me grimace too much). I'll let you know how it goes. I have a session today at 3 and one Saturday at 8. I may be dead by Sunday.

 

[Josephine]

Can't really add to what gatiger said. Of course if push comes to shove, you could always ask for a different PT.

.

 

[gatiger]

DW, I'm running late to get to my session today, I'll be back on here about 12:00 and we'll talk more. You are normal, man. Everybody hates it at first because it hurts like hell! BUT, it will get better, your leg WILL get better, hang in there. I've to go now, but I'll be back. You are not alone my friend. This board is filled with GREAT folks. Re-read old posts, try to get a feel for the folks here, IT CAN BE DONE! it takes time and lots of work. I'll do all I can to help as will everyone else on here. God bless you, catch you in a couple of hours.

 

[dw6928]

Thank you both! I will give a "post PT" review this evening. I am sure I will be able to work with him. Not that he is a bad guy or anything. Thanks again.

 

[Doug]

Dw, I know this may sound ridiculous but you have to try and relax when they are stretching you. I know it hurts and hurts badly. If you tense up too much in anticipation of the pain, you are essentially fighting yourself. Relax your body, take some slow deep breaths and go with it. Mentally go somewhere else while they are pushing and pulling on it. I had to or I would have beat his @$#.

 

[Newwoman]

I really feel your pain, and that's not just a saying. I wish there was another way of getting better and getting our lives back but there just isn't. I do believe that there are ways of doing the same thing that cause less pain. One of those ways is to relax before the bend and I know what you are thinking. Are you nuts lady how the heck does one relax before pain like that? You almost have to take yourself out of your body and put your head someplace else because it hurts less the more you relax and it bends more. Ask your pt if they can bend then massage a little to get you to relax your muscles then bend or straighten again.
Just know you are never alone no matter how bad it gets and we are all here for you. Your therapist knows if you don't get it straight and bent you will need a manipulation and although they work you don't want to go through that if you don't have to.
God Bless you.
Cathy

 

[dw6928]

The people in this forum are truly extraordinary.

 

[gatiger]

Yeah, what Doug and Newwoman said. DW, if I could give you anything else, more than empathy, it would be this--1. Don't worry about 'where you are' or how your progress compares to others. IT DON'T MATTER, you are where you are; all that matters is that you get better. 2. When you do ALL you can, then know that you have done all you can. 3. If you measure your progress AT ALL, measure it against what you could do the week before. There is no schedule, no deadline to meet. 4. Take all the help you can get, from wherever you can get it. There are better days ahead my brother. This is a long and winding road, You are now part of the group heading down the highway. We'll all get there together. May the Lord bless you and keep you and give you Peace.

 

[dw6928]

That is a beautiful sentiment as I head out the door this very minute for PT!
Thank you.

 

[gatiger]

Don't leave us hangin' DW. We're all waiting up for you.

 

[dw6928]

I have returned! I must admit, and probably due to all of the wonderful spiritual support emanating from bonesmart.org, the PT was not as brutal as the previous session! Specifically, the passive extension on the knee (which turned me green last time) was 25% better. I have had my wife emulating the "pressing down" of the knee on an elevated surface, essentially to the screaming point. Couple this with all of you wonderful people and the concerned energy you put out into the Universe, it was better, definitely better and I can't thank you enough.
Where it went South was here: My PT attached to pads to my lower and upper quads (NMES Stimulation) and then handed my this little electronic box. He then, via ace bandages, tied my foot to a weight machine. He said this stimulation (10 seconds on, 50 seconds off for 10 minutes) will build the quads as much, or more, than a 60 minute quad work out. He said the feeling that will come out in the 10 second bursts is "torture like". He was not kidding. My leg shot out and shook for 10 seconds. 10 times. I braced each time, knowing what was coming, but it was torture. Anybody had this?
In any case, and more importantly, he said I am making excellent progress and should be done with outpatient PT in 4 more weeks at which point he will turn me over to a gym like setting where I can complete the progress. My knee is 3x the size it was when I last posted but it is a good swollen and, again, thank you all so very much. You really gave me the encouragement to stare it down. And the "thinking of something else (a beach scene or anything non-PT related) really helped me get through the extensions
Next PT is Monday. Bless you all. Wayne

 

[Pattipoo]

Ice that bad boy, Wayne! This is tough business...no doubt about it. I just got off of my bike....at it's lowest level. I remember the day my therapist put me on it..at the highest (so high I could barely reach the pedals and I'm almost 6' tall!)point and the first time I got up the nerve to make that first round I gasped so hard that I got choked.....it's amazing how far we've all come. We've leaned on each other and NOT one of my new peeps has let me down. I'll be leaning on you, too, Wayne....so go ice that knee so you won't drop me!! I'm happy about your progress!! Keep it up!
(can't chime in on your "shock therapy"....I didn't have to do that...sorry)

 

[Skeet]

Surely, Doug, you aren't going to let Patti's comment on not having "shock therapy" pass by without a jab or two??

 

[dw6928]

Ice that bad boy, Wayne! This is tough business...no doubt about it. I just got off of my bike....at it's lowest level. I remember the day my therapist put me on it..at the highest (so high I could barely reach the pedals and I'm almost 6' tall!)point and the first time I got up the nerve to make that first round I gasped so hard that I got choked.....it's amazing how far we've all come. We've leaned on each other and NOT one of my new peeps has let me down. I'll be leaning on you, too, Wayne....so go ice that knee so you won't drop me!! I'm happy about your progress!! Keep it up!
(can't chime in on your "shock therapy"....I didn't have to do that...sorry)

Thank you Patti,
I am well over 6' tall so I promise not to drop you even with my frozen knee.
The ice feels unusually cold some nights, much colder than when you apply it during the day. Must have something to do w/fatigue.

 

[Pattipoo]

When will the fatigue end???? I'm hell on wheels until about noon....then I start fading. I'm almost 8 weeks post op and back at work for 3 weeks now....I still have to put my feet up and nap at lunch or I'm useless the rest of the afternoon.

OR......OOORRRRRRRRRRRR am I just lazy?????

I'm not sure....

(I just had a sad phone call....a person I know (but not very well) just had TKR on Monday.....she doesn't have much family and her husband had to take care of a sick child and couldn't be with her....she was ALONE!! OMG....I had such a wonderful support group...my sweet big strong 6'4" of a husband handled bed pan duty -was there for me when I had the screaming monkey pukes...everything....OH..and when the nerve block wore off and I had the "OH HOLY GOD - I CAN NOT HANDLE THIS...HELP ME JESUS - DO SOMETHING -DO SOMETHING" hissy fit before the kind nurse juiced me with Toradal (sp?)....this woman, needless to say, didn't handle anything well.....poor thing!!)

I'm finished now....had to get that off my chest...

 

[dw6928]

I suspect laziness should be deleted from your working vocabulary. You demonstrate enormous energy in these forums as you continue to reach out and care for all of us. TKR is amongst the most traumatic, non-life threatening surgery out there. No wonder you get a bit tired after 8 weeks. My OS told me on Wednesday that 6 months is a big turning point and one year is magic. Hang tough! I know you will. Wayne

 

[beachcomber]

Cathy mentioned the visualization technique to get through the painful PT--- I also find my old "LaMaze" breathing techniques to be very helpful..... I can close my eyes and use breath control to work through the pain and cleansing breaths to release it at the end.....

Wayne, I realize you may not have had a lot of experience with LaMaze breathing techniques other than as a "coach" maybe? but I get good results with it. It is especially effective for me when it is a pain I know is coming. If they give me time to get into the breathing thing I get the best effect.

Breathe in through your nose and release the breath slowly through your mouth. Combine it with the visualization and maybe it will help!

And if the pain starts to feel like you are trying to poop a watermelon--- you're either having a baby or haven't been taking your stool softeners! (and that was a whole DIFFERENT thread!)

 

[Pattipoo]

I wish mine would have been a watermelon!!!!You guys know MORE about me trying to pass a "cement paver" than my family!!!

owieee....uh-oh, now I'm having flashbacks.......