Masters Running

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What do I need to expect from Physical Therapy?? (Read 308 times)

    ...ok, I give up.

     

    I am going to ask my doc to refer me to a Physical Therapist.

     

    ( my

    EliteLadies'MastersRunner Mentee

     tore a hamstring

    and is raving about this Sports Oriented PT)

     

    I have never been to one.

     

    and,

    frankly I feel intimidated.

    ==========

     

    .......what should I expect?

    ..........What should I tell them that will help my therapy??

    ...........and How can I rate the results??

     

    this is NewStuff for me, and any suggestions would be appreciated.

    ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....

    RCG


    Rose Colored Glasses

      Hi tomwhite,

       

      The script from your PCP should read, "Physical Therapy; evaluate and treat"

       

      Wear comfortable clothes. Tee shirt, sweat pants.

       

      Let the PT conduct the evaluation. You be the patient.

       

      After the evaluation, you will probably receive some sort of treatment in the form of e-stim, cold or heat therapy, exercises, massage, or even Wii Fit games!

       

      At the end of the session, the PT or PTA (a is for assistant), should give you "homework". If they don't, then you ask, "What should I be doing after I leave and before I return?".

       

      After a few sessions, the PT should be able to determine how many visits you will need. A re-evaluation should be a part of each session, I think.

       

      You will know if what you are doing is working by how you feel after a few weeks. 

       

      The key is putting in the work at home. 

      I continue to do the stretches and exercises I was given. And I haven't been to the PT in a few years. 
      You have to put in the work. 

      "What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” – Kurt Vonnegut

        buehrle +1.  Some of what happens also depends on you.  At many PT shops they give you exercises and watch you do them in their shop.  Do you really need that?  Can you do them on your own?  Would you?  If you can and would why are you paying them to watch you week after week?  Go home and do them for free.  If not, then the periodic appointment will help keep you on track.  I would also add you should expect to get better.  If you do not see any improvement in a few weeks whatever that particular PT is doing is apparently not working for you.  Either quit and save the money or find a new PT and repeat.

        Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

        Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way -->  http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/

        coastwalker


          Hi Tom,

           

          I can only relate what my experience has been with PT. The people are generally very nice and helpful. They may assume that you know more about PT than you do, but it is perfectly fine to keep asking questions about anything you don't understand (which is good advice when with any medical professional). The more you tell them about what is going on with you, the better they will be able to create a program that will work for you.

           

          PT is really nothing more than stretches, exercises, perhaps some manipulation by the therapist, and perhaps some kind of electrical stimulation. There is nothing mysterious about it - however it is a matter of them understanding what specific movement and muscle strengthening will do the most to help with each person's particular issue(s).

           

          PT is a process, so don't expect instant results. However, it is entirely reasonable to ask when you should start seeing results, and how you can measure your progress.You should also ask what work, if any, you should be doing between sessions.

           

          You may also want to ask how much each session costs, how much is covered by your medical plan, what your out-of-pocket will be, and how many sessions your coverage will allow. Usually, your doc or the PT will put in for so many sessions, and the insurer will agree to cover a certain number of sessions. Depending on the results after that number of sessions, the PT may recommend more sessions. You want to make sure you are covered for them before agreeing to them. Usually, the PT can/will submit the paperwork to the insurer for those additional sessions.

           

          Good luck!

           

          Jay

          Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

            ..thanks guys//.........I have resisted this for quite a while,

            but

            when I start going,

            I  plan on doing EVERYTHING I'm told to do.

             

            naturally

            I'm concerned I might be told to never run again.

             

            but I'm at the pont where ThePain is reqular enough I know I'm doing something wrong.

             

             

            much appreciated

            ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....

            OrangeMat


            MM #6177

              Having had many injuries over the years, and having gone to many different PT facilities, I've had experiences that have run the full gamut, from being mistaken for another patient and given her exercises instead (since when are Esther and Edith identical names??), to having a PT who would ask me how my runs went every session and encouraged me to suggest exercises that I intuitively felt would help me better. So the best advice I can give you is to be proactive about your care. Yes, you can do the exercises at home, but you've been doing that on your own for all these years, right? Sometimes having another person there to work with you, provide just the right amount of stretching, resistance, massage, or even just feedback makes all the difference in the world. Trust your gut. I had one PT once tell me that it was ok that I couldn't squat to the floor like I used to be able to, and that no one should be able to, in fact! What's considered a normal range of motion might not be normal for you (as it was for me), and a good PT will help you get back to what's normal for YOU, not the book standard. Best of luck and keep us posted!

                ....good advise OM//.......definitely going with the gut

                 

                 

                although

                ''Normal'' might be a stretch.

                 

                 

                 

                 

                (ark-ark PT joke)

                ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....

                PBJ


                Marathon Iowa 2014

                  Rosie nailed it.

                   

                  Other items to keep in mind:

                   

                  Is the PT session covered by insurance?  How many sessions do you get?  Apparently, there's a negotiation dance that the carrier and the PT go through - "He needs at least 10 sessions," "We'll pay for 5," etc.

                   

                  You need to tell them what you expect, not what they expect.  Otherwise you might be doing things that are not going to help you recover.

                   

                  Good luck.

                  OrangeMat


                  MM #6177

                    Just to be clear, when I said "yes you can do the exercises at home", I meant about not going to PT at all and trying to do your own rehab by yourself, which I believe was what Twocat suggested (and if I misunderstood, sorry!). Yes, by all means do your "homework" exercises that you receive from PT, and yes, if they don't give you any, ask as Rosie said. That's what I meant about being proactive. Trust that you know your body best and don't settle for what the "industry standard" says should be be comfortable or normal for YOU.

                      I don't think anyone mentioned it, but in most cases they will also do ultrasound and possibly massage for the affected area -- at least, the guy that I use does. 

                       

                      I think the average PT would be the last health care practitioner to tell you to stop running permanently.  If anything, most prefer to work on people that are athletic and willing to be coached, as opposed to the morbidly obese crybabies that are in for post-op joint surgery rehab.

                        ...oh, ok guys//........some good points to remember, thanks.

                        ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....

                        mrrun


                          I don't think anyone mentioned it, but in most cases they will also do ultrasound and possibly massage for the affected area -- at least, the guy that I use does. 

                           

                          +++1

                           

                          I have found that the ultrasound, massage and electrical stimulation the most valuable parts of PT.  they can also give you very specific stretches that you might not find online.

                           

                          good luck!

                          marj


                          MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

                            Tom - don’t be afraid like I was but, not that it ever happened to me or anything like that, don’t tell them your age in case they might think that has something to do with it.
                            ps - if possible, see if you can get cyndi

                            "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)


                              ps - if possible, see if you can get cyndi

                               

                              ...actually,

                              since it's a HipInjury,

                               I'm trying to decide between Boxers and Briefs.......Smile

                               

                               

                              thanks marj//.......I'm sure they will have some, apparently it helps hip injuries especially

                              ..nothing takes the place of persistence.....


                              #artbydmcbride

                                Try not to be ticklish     Cool

                                 

                                Runners run

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