physical therapy after surgery

[Guest guest]

Yep, , I have indeed wondered why I didn't have physical therapy

before that foot surgery - unless the surgeon figured my foot muscles

were already strong enough to endure the surgery. But in those days,

PT was so different - it was all manually done by someone else - I

hated the PT moving my feet, legs, arms and hands like she did.

Fast forward to my back surgery of 2002. Oh I had some heavy duty PT

before back surgery - that's where my love affair with aquatics

began, since that PT was in the pool (and you know how I love pools)

plus that PT was all me doing 'exercises/movements' to strengthen

muscles and the surgeon was also thinking that perhaps with PT my

herniated disc would resolve itself. The PT was good for me, it did

strengthen muscles, but the disc problem, etc., did not resolve

itself, so into surgery I went. I will say that I went into that

surgery knowing how wonderful PT was here and what I would face when

I got out.

Only for 3 weeks after surgery, once home, I had that " manual " PT

again - it was still horrible - the PT making my legs, etc. move. LOL

all I wanted was to get rid of her, get some sleep and get on with my

life in my own way. My determination to get up and MOVE was so great,

that I did get to 'fire' her. LOL There is something about manual PT

that I do not like - I just do not like other people moving parts of

my body around in that type of situation.

PT has certainly come along way in 40+ years. At the Fitness Center I

often see PT patients and they are all encouraged to MOVE themselves,

of course with great supervision by our PTs.

~ Gretchen