Bluntness

I've also been told I have little tact, so if this offends you simply ride on.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

The Hideous Truth about Physical Therapy

Well, I've had several sessions of Physical Therapy as part of the treatment for my lower back issues and I have to say... I am not that impressed.  This is not because I'm not noticing any difference, rather the exercises they are having me do?  I can do at home.  Basically I spend about an hour strengthening my core muscles.  That's it.  And I'm serious when I say everything they have me doing, I've already done.
My Dr prescribed one month of Physical Therapy, and I will do one month.  Mostly, however, I'll be doing much more at home because for all intents and purposes, I have a gym in my house.  I had asked about using my eliptical and my therapist said that was fine but nixed the free weights and the bicycle.  In fact yesterday I spent 15 minutes on the eliptical and was rewarded with a slight burn in my quads and hamstrings.  Every day is better.


What I really need to focus on is not looking around the room when I'm there.  That's when I realize how hideous Physical Therapy can be: people like myself who can do the same exercises at home.  True, there are patients who need help, like the woman with the knee replacement,  But there seem to be more like the woman who came in, threw a white towel down on the floor, took off her shoe, and bent her great toe while pushing her foot front and then pulling it back.  Why is she, and her insurance company, spending money for her to rub her toe across a towel?  And she's not alone!  While I want to get in and get out many more appear to do their exercises in slow motion in order to socialize.  Like the middle-aged woman who had them do moist heat treatments on her shoulders.  She started talking to the therapist about a church bazaar, and how her son couldn't attend because he was going to baseball camp, and how the minister was so disappointed because he'd been hoping her son would be a ringer for the dunk tank.... And the therapist walked away to check on another patient and this woman just kept on talking.  See what I'm talking about?  And this is not an isolated incident.  It truly is hideous.

1 comment:

  1. In my experience good physiotherapists only live on specialist units.
    When i was a charge nurse on spinal injuries the physios were amazing!

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