Re: Physical Therapy -- Is it Necessary?

[Guest guest]

Leonora,

I think this depends on the individual. My PA affects a lot of my body, but

it is still mild. I found that Physical Therapy did not help me.. what has

helped is staying active.

[Guest guest]

Movement IS necessary, whether through PT or otherwise (although PT teaches

you how to get the max out of the energy you spend). Movement brings blood

flow and fluid to the joints, which reduces stiffness. With feet, just

massaging

them and pulling them in different directions can be enough to make the

stiffness go away when I first wake up in the morning.

Hope that helps,

A

[Guest guest]

Hi Leonora,

I'm currently undergoing PT for my feet with a plantar

fascitis problem. It does help as they use ultrasound,

heat and teach you excercises to stretch your

ligaments. I've also had it for my back. I try to do

stretches every evening to keep me flexible and able

to move. It's worth a try.

Warm blessings, Jane

[Guest guest]

From: Leonora Seinfeld <leonoraseinfeld@...>

> Would you say that PT is necessary and helpful for our condition?

> My PA affects my feet very badly.

PT was a tremendous help to me -- once I got a GOOD physiotherapist who knew how

to treat arthritis patients.

Before I started PT, I had extremely weak muscles in my upper legs due to the

erosion of muscle tissue when my knees were so badly inflamed. The PT helped me

strengthen the legs and except for the odd time when I'm forced to take stairs,

the legs feel as strong as they used to now.

The other HUGE help for me in PT was having my therapist give me exercises to do

for all of my various affected joints, to maximize range of motion even when the

joints were inflamed; and to also learn when and when NOT to exercise, when to

apply ice and when to apply heat to inflamed joints; and so on. I learned so

much from her. I don't go regularly anymore, because she gave me the tools to

take care of the " typical " PA scenarios myself. It's only if things get bad and

I need extra help that I need to go back... but having gone to her for that 5-6

month period to learn all that I did was a tremendous help.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

For what it's worth:

My first pain management doc was a physiatrist, a specialist in

physical medicine, and therefore, a big believer in physical therapy

(PT). She was reasonable about pain meds, but viewed her mission as

primarily progress through PT, without regard as to how much activity

I was already getting (I work full-time), and without consideration

of the residual damage accumulated over 30+ years of active disease.

In my view, she didn't take into consideration (as you say) the

exercize I was getting every day; she was more concerned that I come

to her clinic 3 times a week, at $80 a visit, for PT.

I went to my rheumatologist, and explained my situation. He said what

you suggested: If you are normally active, that served as all the PT

I would need. (This is not to say that there aren't people who would

actually benefit from PT; it's just that I was doing more, and more

strenuous and varied, activities every day than I did in PT!)

I finally had enough, and went to a different pain management doctor,

an anaesthesiologist by specialty. He said what you and I are saying.

Here's one more example of how specialist doctors tend to wear

blinders that let them see what they want to see; the first, physical

medicine, doc thought in terms of physical therapy being the answer;

the second, the anaesthesiologist, thought in terms of administering

a painkiller, and (hopefully) my rheumatologist thought in terms of

what I needed most.

I just wonder how many of our members are doing PT unnecessarily...

D.

[Guest guest]

Hi Leonora,

I'm currently in physical therapy after a cortisone shot for rotator cuff

tendinitis and am finding it very helpful.. I never realized til therapy

just how limited my range of motion is in my neck and shoulders. Mo

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/24/2004 8:38:31 PM Eastern Standard Time,

rachelviognier@... writes:

Movement IS necessary, whether through PT or otherwise (although PT teaches

you how to get the max out of the energy you spend). Movement brings blood

flow and fluid to the joints, which reduces stiffness.

HI ,

I have also been told that movement is great for out condition. It seem that

this really aggavates my knees and other joints. I did the PT thing and did

not feel it helped. I am presently going to the gym and using weights to also

keep the joints moving but whe I do I pay for it for several days. Does

anyone have any suggestions?

Janet

JANET

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/25/2004 6:33:55 AM Eastern Standard Time, fam24@...

writes:

I did the PT thing and did

not feel it helped. I am presently going to the gym and using weights to

also

keep the joints moving but whe I do I pay for it for several days. Does

anyone have any suggestions?

Hi Janet...I was very lucky to get a clinic that specializes in arthritis

treatments...they had a hand specialist, balance specialist, etc. It may be

worth another try to find some people who can truly help...

For example, my PTs taught me how to do weights COMPLETELY differently than

what I had been doing...less weight but many more reps and sets to treat the

joints more gently. Perhaps the thing that helped me the most was the aquatic

therapy, which showed my how to do range of motion exercises in warm water. I

went 4 days a week for 2 months and really dramatically improved my strength

and flexibility. Now, I do pilates 3 times a week (all about using your core

vs your extremities where you have more joints, and all about flexibility) and

do weights and do the water exercise. I feel worse when I DON't do these

things. Before I went to PT, I was the same as you...if I went to the gym I

suffered for days afterwards.

So give it another try, just call around first. Also, maybe the local

Arthritis Foundation could give you some recommendations on where to go in your

area...

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I wouldn't consider P.T. as unnecessary, I think we

all have an obligation to seek out and do what is best

for us as individuals. I had my third epidural

yesterday from my pain doc who is an anasthesiologist

and feel no pain today. However, I'm also in P.T. for

my feet and have seen much improvement in them. Using

heat and the stretching excercises I've learned are

tools that I'll be able to utilize on my own at home.

It's seemed to be a good combination at this moment in

time

Warm blessings, Jane

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/25/2004 6:58:26 PM Eastern Standard Time,

rachelviognier@... writes:

So give it another try, just call around first. Also, maybe the local

Arthritis Foundation could give you some recommendations on where to go in

your

area...

Thanks for the advice. I am going to make some calls and see if I can

find someone who is up to date on Arthritis exercise.

JANET