Physical Therapy

I had my four-week follow-up appointment at the orthopedist's office yesterday. In the time between visits, I've improved 85-95%, at least in how I feel. No surprise (to me, at least; others with a less optimistic view of traditional medicine might be surprised), he didn't recommend surgery, the verdict I was wanting. What he did recommend was physical therapy, and I had my first appointment yesterday afternoon.


First of all, I didn't realize that PT was something a doctor could actually prescribe. I guess you learn something new every day. And second, PT is expensive. I'm going to PhysioTherapy Associates, which must be affiliated in some way with Mercy Hospital. It's $100/session and the therapist wants to meet three times a week for three weeks. Thankfully I can pay half the cost per week and be billed for the rest, which should get us through until our taxes are finished.


My lower back is somewhat sore from being worked on, but it's that kind of sore you experience from exercising, so I'm not worried about it at this point. The first goal is to work on my flexibility, particularly in my hamstrings, which have always been tight but are ridiculously so now. One advantage of going to the therapist is that she has leverage when it comes to many of the stretches. Another advantage is that she has already shown she will push farther than I likely would on my own; not in a painful way, but enough to get a more effective stretch. When Abi is feeling better I want her to come to at least one of my appointments so she can see what is being done and do the same for me at home.


I have a few stretches to be done at home, and I'm looking forward to the increased flexibility. My goal is to improve enough in three weeks that I can stop going and continue on my own, or, at the very most, go once every week or two for a few weeks for some follow-up and direction.