Physical Therapy

[Tiny]

Tara is 9 weeks post op now and doing fairly well, however she returns to college in 2 weeks for preseason soccer training. There is no way she is ready to hit the soccer field . She's been in the swimming pool only for 2 weeks swimming laps with a kick board. Her Dr. didn't recommend any physical therapy. Basically he said when she feels up to an activity, she can do it. Does anyone have specifics on a physical therapy regiment to start getting back into shape? Thanks.
Linda

[Mary Lou]

Linda,

My daugther is almost 8 months post op and did physical therapy at about 3 months post-op. Here's some of the things they had her doing in the pool: 1) crunches while standing in the water (she couldn't actually do the crunches, but they wanted her to do that action to tighten the stomach muscles that help support the back); 2) walking in the water; 3) leg lifts;

She did just water therapy for about two weeks and then they added regular therapy which included: 1) crunches; 2) a lot of leg stretches (to help loosen the hamstrings to allow more mobility); 3) leg lifts; 4) using a band or something attached to a wall she would do several arm exercises-pulling arms straight back; pulling arms out to the side.

Most of what she did was simple, yet affective. She noticed that if she did her stretches especially the normal every day activities were much easier. Hope this helps.

Mary Lou

[Tiny]

Thanks Mary Lou, yes, it helps a ton.
Linda

[HGD24]

Linda,
My surgeon also did not recommend PT for me (he doesn't normally recommed it for his patients, he practices the "do you daily activities and you should get back to normal on your own" theory of recovery) until I asked about it at the 4 month mark due to major stiffness in my lower back. Within 3 visits, I noticed a dramatic change in the way I felt and was able to move.

I ride a stationary bike for 10 mins to warm up and loosen my low back and hips. They have me doing a safe version of situps by laying on a table and using barbells while tightening my ab muscles, acutally, I have to tighten them through all of my exercises...it's tough to concentrate on tightening your abs and counting and making sure you're doing the exercise correctly!

At first, I could hardly do it at all, but now I can talk through my exercises and actually look forward to doing them...and I am not the work out type, but I just feel so good afterwards! I also do some squats on a Total Gym, pullies with weights attached and have started using one of those workout balls while using barbells too.

I'd be a little more persistent in asking your daughter's surgeon to refer her to PT so that she can be sure she is doing what is good for her and she can be supervised to be sure she is doing the workouts correctly. Like I said, my surgeon doesn't normally recommend PT either, but I pressed the issue and told him that I didn't feel that my everyday activities were getting me on track to where I wanted to be and he was happy to write the script.

Good luck!

[Tiny]

Heidi, thanks. That is exactly how Tara's Dr. put it to her and when I asked when she could start physical therapy, they asked if there was a specific problem. I think it would help her even mentally along with physically. I think I will call again and ask. She walk/jogged 3 miles yesterday. According to her Dr.'s guidelines, if she feels like doing it, it's ok, but I have read here an awful lot of Dr.s don't want their patients jogging or running for a year. I think it would be nice to have a physical therapist over-seeing it.
Linda

[HGD24]

Linda,
My surgeon also asked what I specifically wasn't able to do and I rattled off a list including, that I couldn't bend down to pet my dog without feeling very stiff and unstable. Hopefully your daughter's surgeon will agree to some PT if only for the security of having someone oversee her exercises....good luck!