Is my PT crazy??!!

[melissa]

I am now 8 weeks post fulkerson and LR.  I have been in PT since the 4th day and have been doing very well. I had full ROM within 4 weeks and could do straight leg raises unassisted the entire time. My OS said he was surprised by how good I'm doing. But yesterday in PT my thearapist wanted my to sit in a chair and lift my leg staight up. I can't do this and he makes it sound like a big deal. He also has me lay on my back and with my knee bent to about 90 deg. and him holding it wants me to push up on his hand (which is on my tibia) and I can't. I get a really sharp pain and my leg drops to the table. He thought i should be able to do that easy. AM I out of my mind or what?! I think that should be rather difficult b/c I just had a major surgery on that tibia. I just want to know if others could do this 8 weeks post op. I thought about calling my OS but decided not to since i don't want to bug him.   Any advice appreciated. THanks to everyone.  Melissa

[Iona_-Uk]

Sounds awful for you Melissa  

Put it this way, you shouldn't be doing anything you find painful in PT, ok we can accept that it is going to be uncomfortable and we know that that is part and parcel of the PT regime but from my point of view, I am 8 weeks post LR, MR and Plica & scra tissue romovela and I can't sit on a chair and do straight leg raises yet, even though, like you I recovered very well from the surgery and had full ROM back within a short while and the other excerise you mentioned i can only just do that of this week.

Speak out if things are painful at PT, s/he shouldn't be making you do thing which for you, are painful, it isn't fair and it could damge you recovery. If yo speak out but they fail to listen ask to speak to someone senior and put yur concerns in writing in nesscery. Speak to your os as well if need be.

Best of luck.

Iona

[wendy]

I recovered very quickly from patella tendon repositionings on both legs. I have never been able to sit in a chair and raise my leg nor would I ever be able to let someone push on myy tibia and have me push against them.

Since I have no screws in my legs I was told my surgery could come apart at any time with the right pressure in the right place. My OS always warned me that if it caused more pain than I felt comfortable with to not do it.

We have all heard the saying, "No pain no gain." Pain is very different for those who are in chronic pain or have been in pain for any length of time. Do not let a PT think that you are weak. Most likely they have no idea what kind of pain you are really in. Most PT's I have encountered have never had any real injuries that cause pain to last over a period of time. Stay strong and keep the hard work on  the exercises you feel comfortable with. Usually your body is telling you there is extreme pain for a reason.

Good LUck

Wendy

[Grace]

Hi Melissa....the subject on the forum caught my eye and i feel kind of like a kindred spirit!  I want to share my experience with you and hope it helps you somehow.

I have been in therapy for about 6 months....3 months before my op and 2 months 2 weeks after.  I saw no real problem with my PT at first...he seemed like a smart enough guy and had a lovely disposition.  Till i noticed that i could tell him about my pain and he didn't do anything (ie change wieght resistance, alter exercises, offer to lay off things that caused more pain, etc).

So then he began tapin gmy knee wihch we had decided months back no to do because of the pain it caused me.  He'd tape me, i'd try to keep on keepin on and i'd take it off.  I'd go back and get scolded like a child for taking it off.....no matter how often i told him about my pain he didn't listen.

After a lot of undue pain and heartache, i asked the wonderful people her what i shold do and they urged me to put my foot down and take a stand.  So i did!  I got into an argument with him, but he finally listened to me and some things that proved he was not listening before.  I got what i wanted, no more taping and i was given the week off from PT, which as i am sure you know is like a mini vacation from the reality of it all!!

The point of my ong drawn out story is to take a stand and don't back down.....tell the guy/girl thath youthink they are pushing ot hard and nowis not the time for you to be dealing with or trying ot do such a task.....they are not the knee suffere, so really how do they know what snot good right now.  tell them that you may come back to this in the future but now is not the time....and say it till they understand.   I took me months of pain and weeks of taping to get something done....just don't let them have the control...its your knee...your recovery (in the words of wise old Ross).

Take care and let us all know what happens - Gracie

[Ross]

Gracie hon!  Good on you, your recovery starts immediately!

[melissa]

Thanks everyone I will be sure to say it more clear next time. Grace it sounds like you've had  a PT whose heart it about as big as mine. NON EXISTANT!! THanks again for the help! Melissa

[Helen_uk]

My physio says that pain or some discomfort is fine whilst actually doing a movement but if when you stop the exercise the pain continues then they are pushing you too hard.
He is a little chinese man and very knowledgable.
Physio should never be painful
H xxx

[chica_2626]

Sorry to hear about your many problems with PT melissa!  I know how that goes...my knee problems started when I was only 10 and I cried every time I came home from therapy because they were making me do the things I told them hurt...and I switched to another PT.  But it was the same situation but I also take into consideration that I was young and they didn't know how intense the pain was.  So I decided no more PT and ignored the problems for years and now I'm 16.   The prob flared up really bad in January 2002 and my dad forced me to go to the doctor and get my knee checked out.  And boy was I unhappy when his solution was PT.  And those dang therapists were still no better, and I found myself being less than friendly towards them.  So I went to yet another doctor and I told my parents I would have no more therapy.  So I went to the top OS in the city and he said I was the perfect candidate for a LR and I went off to another PT for rehab.  And FINALLY I found a wonderful place who honestly care about how much pain I am in.  They know how far to push me...ya know I am just in that tolerable pain ya gotta go through or you'll never improve and if they give me an exercise that causes me a lot of pain they'll either hold off on it or modify it to cause less pain.  I am so glad to know that there actually are therapists out there who aren't completely heartless, cause now I finally believe I'm getting better!!  So don't give up becuase it is possible to have good PT!

[Sharon]

Melissa,
I'm about 9 weeks post-op from a distal realignment and LR and I can't even come close to doing a straight leg raise while seated! In fact, I still can't do one while lying down without having stim first. If your PT is pushing you too hard you need to have a talk with him. My PT would never push me past a point where I feel uncomfortable. She always tells me to tell her if something really hurts me and we'll work on finding the reason or she'll have me do the exercise in a different way that doesn't cause me pain. My advice is to talk to your PT first and if that doesn't get you anywhere, give your OS a call and tell him the situation. Good luck!

Sharon