Why Rehab ?

[One NZer]

I've been keeping an eye on what was happening to you all and can hardly believe the capacity for torture by those so-called health professionals, both at the after-hospital rehab centres and later by the PT's.

I have a question, why do you (and all the other Stateside patients) have to go to rehab ? Are you not allowed to take responsibility for your own Physical Therapy ?

It is in your own interests to work towards getting better quickly, why put up with torture ? I can't make it out . :pzld:

I did see the recommended Physiotherapist the first day out of hospital, then once a week for the next 6 weeks before she told me I didn't need to see her anymore.
Even as I sit here (this far out), my legs are tucked as far back under my chair as possible... still working at getting to 135. :whis:

 

[Judles]

:thmb:Hi Ellen!
In answer to your question...no we ALL don't "have to" go to re-hab after surgery! I actually had a wonderful after-care experience! I made up my mind from the minute I was admitted (we checked the facility out before my surgery) that I was going to go out of my way to be so sweet to the staff that they would really stop and take extra good care of me! For the week and a half I was there, the entire staff took extra good care of me so I ended up getting amazing care! You have to be lucky with everything and I count my blessings that I really was! The minute I arrived and settled in my room..I made a big sign and taped it on my door saying NO CRANKY PEOPLE ALLOWED!! Although some crank, ripped it off my door the first night, I quickly made anoyher one and from then on, every person that entered my room would smile and say "I'm NOT cranky!" Worked like a charm for me!
Sure physical therapy and occupational therapy hurt after surgery, but in THAT setting, it gives the patient the incentive to do well and get out!

 

[Josephine]

Oh I am with you there, Nzer. I've often thought as much myself. I never hear of such things happening in the UK. Very odd!

 

[edk]

I think everywhere there are people who can do it on their own, people who do it with doubts and people who need the extra push. In the US because of having to practice defensive medicine (if anything goes wrong the surgeon is likely to get sued) I think most patients get sent to PT (then if they don't show up and something bad happens the surgeon can say - see I tried).

As to whether its necessary, even the most competent of patients (of which I think I am one) has doubts about pushing through the pain in rehab. (i.e. should I really push my knee to bend even though it hurts like h*** and will be all swollen this afternoon)
It's nice to have someone who has a little training to reassure you that yes this pain is normal and you'll be better off in the end.

I have a friend who just had an arthroscopy with an unacceptable outcome. She was given a set of exercises and she did them once, said it hurt too much. Now she has been griping about its been a month and her knee is no better than before.

 

[cotton1958]

I was in a rehab center, my choice of course, with folks who had strokes, MS, brain tumor, etc. Years ago, folks with these conditions would have gone into convalesence centers for 2 years for these conditions. It's amazing to me that we now are more agressive in getting people to move and rehabilitate faster than in years past. So there is some good in rehabilitation centers. It wasn't a perfect place, and it was hard. But in 5 days I could walk across the gym. If I had been sitting at home, that would not have happened.

______________

BTKR 8/09

 

[cindy88fan]

I chose to go to PT. I didn't "have to". It was recommended that I go and my will-power...well there didn't used to be much there. I had 2 knee surgeries at a very young age and I didn't go to any kind of PT or rehab. I also didn't recover as well either. With this BTKR I had an excellent PT and I didn't have any torture. My recovery has been for the most part very smooth.

 

[edk]

I had 2 knee surgeries at a very young age and I didn't go to any kind of PT or rehab. I also didn't recover as well either. .

When I had my first knee surgery at 9 years old (in 1960) PT was sitting on the kitchen table lifting a 5lb bag of flour in a handled bag on my ankle - we've come a long way.

 

[abunnybabe]

I too chose to go to a rehab facility post op. I figured that the 11 PT sessions and 5 OT sessions per week would jump start my recovery, instead of the 3 times per week that I would get at home. I left my rehab facility yesterday, after 8 days, walking with just a cane, able to take some steps with no assistence, like in the kitchen, bathroom, etc.
Monday I start outpatient PT, 3 times a week.
I choose to do all this rehab, as I have a very active job to go back to. I need to get back to 100%. I am young and have a full life that I can't wait to return to.

 

[mtngal67]

For some like me, it's motivation and accountability! I know I'd be lazy about taking care of my own rehab at home. Knowing I have to go back to PT and have someone looking for my progress makes me do what I'm supposed to!

Gale
RTKR 10-5-09

 

[Linda2]

My doctor doesn't usually send his patients for PT; I asked for the referral. I've had a few injuries in my life, and PT has always been helpful for me.

 

[1jt@atime]

My physical therapists have become friends of mine. Not only do they push me to the next level and tell me if I'm progressing appropriately, but they are also there to hear my gripes and complaints and to encourage me. During recovery, it gave me an excuse to get out of the house and to move on and recover quickly. I had to get on with my life rather then sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. It just seems that physical therapy is about more then getting that ROM. I don't think I would ever want to go to a rehab center but some do and it's great that we have that option in the states. I think the key is finding the right physical therapist for you.

 

[skigirl]

I went to see a pt on the third day after my surgery---he has a PH.d. in physical therapy and was extremely helpful to me. Could I have done it myself? Possible, but I don't think so--the bending in the beginning was done by him. Although, I never had anything approaching torture!!! Really, I had very little pain in pt.

Once I left pt, I had to begin to train myself back to my former level of fitness. At six months, I am still not there. I can see that my muscles are not as toned as they were this time last year. Usually when you look at my leg, you can see the elineation ont he quad and hamstring--but that is not as clear right now.

I am now working with a pre ski conditioning group that meets in the gym of my pt. We work with an atletic trainer. It isw more fun to be working as a group--we laugh at one another. when I leave the gym, I am drenched in sweat--and I don't think I would work this hard by myself, consistently--every Tuesday and Thursday.

I still go to the gym almost every day, but it has been very diffiucult to come back from this surgery--my quad is still not at peak strength. If I lived in the UK, I would still be working with someone since I have to be at top physical strength to ski all day every day--which will happen in 36 days!!!

But, really, does it matter what anyone else does? If someone prefers to work alone, I am sure they can do that well. I like working in a group, so that is what I do. if you don't want to reach this level of fitness, then you don't have to do it!!! That is the advantage that we all have--we can choose how to rehab or even if to rehab these knees.

 

[One NZer]

Thanks for all your replies. All the various motivations made interesting reading.
So thank you again.

 

[FrogFeathers]

Staying in the hospital (which is where my rehab place was located), was the best choice for me. My husband had a stroke nearly 15 years ago and there is no possible way he could have cared for me. My mother was in and out of hospitals since a month before I had my surgery. My dad is a heart patient and while he probably could have done for me, I wasn't about to ask him to put me on his list of responsibilities with my mom.

My surgeon (and I assume the PT and OT) came to the conclusion that I would "benefit" from extra time in-house. I was in the hospital a total of two weeks and one day. Four days were in the post-op recovery area, the rest were in the rehab ward. I didn't go directly home either- I stayed at my parents' fully-handicapped accessible house for two more weeks. My house only has one bathroom and it is upstairs, with no handicapped accessibility (except for a handle near the toilet I made my husband install). My parents' had everything from ez-lift recliner chairs (where mum and I slept!) to the toilet being higher than a normal one, to a walk-in shower stall as opposed to mine (a tub with a glass shower door).

I'm dead lucky I chose the hospital I did- solely on the fact that my surgeon was the same one my son got three years before when he broke his arm at martial arts training. (and we got him only because he was the guy on call that night- during a blizzard, no less!).

Had I gone to the local hospital, I would have been placed in a nursing home facility and that would have been detrimental to my recovery. (My mother was placed there for two weeks following the removal of her toes and part of her foot. If not for our family's perserverence, she would have spiraled downhill quickly. That place was horrid).

So, had I been anywhere else in the world, I would certainly hope that my surgeon would have taken into account my home life before releasing me back to the wild.

 

[Texas]

actually i did do it on my own to an extent. i went for about 2 weeks 2 x;s a week ,learned the excercises and did them at home after that........I did notice alot of people dont have pt but here in the us they are really doing it .......just one of those questions but either way is fine if works for you

 

[abunnybabe]

I've just been home 2 days and can already tell the difference in my knee without regular and aggressive PT and OT. I can't wait to start outpatient PT tomorrow.

 

[Jamie]

Bunny, just be sure you keep a constant dialogue with your outpatient PT. Make sure they do things slowly and gently!!! That's all that is needed.

 

[cindy88fan]

EDK...I had my first knee surgery at the age of 15 (1980) and I used a water bag with a belt tied around my leg to hold the bag on my leg to do leg lifts...it was a hoot!:hehe: You're right PT has come a long long way!!!

 

[BigRed]

I had my first surgery in 1967 and I hung bags of sugar from my ankle. I guess I had a sweet tooth even then.

 

[bluegrassanne]

I went straight home from the hospital after both knee replacements. I
had very little PT with my RTKR. My doctor had furnished me with a notebook that included before and after surgery exercises. I did them faithly. I did have a home health PT person for about two weeks. He checked my incision, removed the staples when the time came, and helped me work on my ROM. After that I just did the post surgery exercises in my book. I had to slack off a bit after my left knee went out on me, but I did just fine and was back at work in three weeks, walking without a cane by week four.

Before my LTKR my insurance company called me to inform me of all of my benefits including PT. I still had a little quirk in my right knee and thought PT might not be a bad idea. My recovery this time has amazed even me. I was walking without a cane at two weeks and went back to work 17 days after my surgery. I didn't even start PT until I went back to work. Now I have PT twice a week. Most of the exercises I do at home two or three times a day, but they do have equipment I don't have and if I can get better faster, why not? The PT has helped with my right knee and well as the left one. From talking with other patients I gather that some people are in PT because they need the encouragement to do the exercises.

RTKR 05-18-2009
LTRK 10-05-2009