Question about PT

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  • skibumsmith
    Registered User
    • Oct 2011
    • 63

    #1

    Question about PT

    I've been going to physical therapy for about 3 months now. I started going to The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, Utah for my knee rehab in early May. This was my first real injury so I went into this whole process pretty naive to the way things work and just assumed that the treatment I was getting was as good as it gets. I walked down the hall and saw all the signed posters from professional athletes and thought I was getting top notch care but I'm starting to question whether all orthopedic centers are equal.
    1. Did you guys use an ultrasound machine?
    2. How up-to-date on the latest research was your therapist?
    3. Did you feel like the the treatment you got was specific to you or was your therapy identical to other people regardless of age and goals (did you have the same routine as the middle aged fat ass that's never skied in his life)?
    4. How closely did your therapist work with your surgeon? Did they communicate often?

    Thanks for your answers. I'm getting frustrated with my progress and would really appreciate any advice from anybody who has been through this before. I'm about to say fuck TOSH and start going to the University Orthopedic Center.
  • Shredhead
    Registered User
    • Nov 2003
    • 8990

    #2
    I surprised your insurance is still paying for PT. If your not happy with your treatment, find someone else.

    Eventually you'll come to the realization that it's all up to YOU!

    I'm icing my knee right now, waiting until it 's light out, then I'm riding a 50 miler. Then I hit the pool for 20 laps and some ROM work.

    Get after it!

    Comment

    • skibumsmith
      Registered User
      • Oct 2011
      • 63

      #3
      I am covered for 75 visits. I realize at this point that my recovery rate reflects how much time I put into it but I think that some of the stuff I was doing earlier on for ROM was totally ineffective. I would just bang on my knee forever thinking that if I was in pain then it must be a good stretch and I was getting nowhere.

      Comment

      • JTrue
        Utarded
        • Mar 2006
        • 2577

        #4
        I'm sure there are some great PTs at TOSH, however I didn't have a great experience either. I felt like it wasn't a very personal experience. As Shredhead said above a lot of it is what you are willing to put into it. But the PT needs to listen to the patient, if something isn't working for you voice it. If you have any ideas or questions make sure you ask. I've found that giving feedback to a receptive PT and having them take a slightly different approach can really help. Educating yourself about your condition is pretty powerful as well.

        Right now I am going to a PT that's not in my network, and is more expensive. I got a good recommendation from a friend and figured I'd go for a couple sessions. So far they are the real deal and have helped a lot, even though I still have a ways to go. Good luck, keep working at it and you'll be back and stronger then in the past.

        Comment

        • detrusor
          Detrusor
          • Jan 2009
          • 5153

          #5
          There is a guy named John Feig in SLC that is as good as it gets. Look him up. The ortho guys at the U swear by him. Has been damn good w the wife's rehab.
          I rip the groomed on tele gear

          Comment

          • JTrue
            Utarded
            • Mar 2006
            • 2577

            #6
            ^^^Agreed, I'm not seeing John, but I am seeing one of the PTs that works for him. Can't say enough good things about what they have going on.

            Comment

            • neufox47
              Stolen avatar...
              • Jan 2010
              • 11097

              #7
              Originally posted by skibumsmith
              I've been going to physical therapy for about 3 months now. I started going to The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Murray, Utah for my knee rehab in early May. This was my first real injury so I went into this whole process pretty naive to the way things work and just assumed that the treatment I was getting was as good as it gets. I walked down the hall and saw all the signed posters from professional athletes and thought I was getting top notch care but I'm starting to question whether all orthopedic centers are equal.
              1. Did you guys use an ultrasound machine?
              2. How up-to-date on the latest research was your therapist?
              3. Did you feel like the the treatment you got was specific to you or was your therapy identical to other people regardless of age and goals (did you have the same routine as the middle aged fat ass that's never skied in his life)?
              4. How closely did your therapist work with your surgeon? Did they communicate often?

              Thanks for your answers. I'm getting frustrated with my progress and would really appreciate any advice from anybody who has been through this before. I'm about to say fuck TOSH and start going to the University Orthopedic Center.
              All PT's are not equal. If they aren't up to date on the latest research, leave. That is a fundamental part of their job. If they are using extensive ultra sound and e-stim, they are probably lazy and just trying to bill.

              Comment

              • old goat
                Registered User
                • Jan 2008
                • 25092

                #8
                A general comment (not speicifc to knee rehab or anything else) RE: up to date on the latest research--that means up to date on the research in professional refereed journals, not the latest internet fad.

                Comment

                • spicy cha cha
                  Registered User
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 260

                  #9
                  Originally posted by skibumsmith
                  I am covered for 75 visits.
                  that's alot of PT. I have no idea what other insurers allow, but my plan differentiates between outpatient (20/year) and inpatient (65/year).

                  Comment

                  • rmnpsplitter
                    Rocky Mountain HIGH
                    • Mar 2012
                    • 834

                    #10
                    My thoughts from watching the wife recover from ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair is that all PT's are definitely not created equal. However, different people respond to different treatments in different ways. What works for one person definitely isn't going to be exactly the same for the other. For example, the elec stim has done wonders for Mrs. Splitter. Sounds like neufox isn't so fond of it. The ultrasound not so much for her and they haven't done it since. The point is she voiced her opinions/concerns of what was working and they catered her PT sessions around that and have done a wide mix of stretches and exercises focusing what she wants to be doing (backpacking and skiing). We are now at the point (14 weeks post-op) where they said most patients at her stage go on their way with minimal PT. She has lots of sessions left to use up before the year ends (total of 36/yr) and so they are going to have her continue to come more to work with her like a personal trainer would. Her new program will be mainly focused on getting her back into prime skiing condition. Which I'm stoked about. If you don't let them know what is and isn't working for you and voice your concerns about progress you will probably just end up going through the motions and wont get the full benefit of going to PT.

                    Comment

                    • jellero
                      Registered User
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 67

                      #11
                      my pt seems to be passing the time. she just makes me hurt all week so i have passed on further "treatment". after two months i am not sure what is suppose to be happening. the "pelvic floor" thing is getting old while i am hurting. j

                      Comment

                      • neufox47
                        Stolen avatar...
                        • Jan 2010
                        • 11097

                        #12
                        Originally posted by old goat
                        A general comment (not speicifc to knee rehab or anything else) RE: up to date on the latest research--that means up to date on the research in professional refereed journals, not the latest internet fad.
                        Agreed. My ex gf (DPT - was a student when we were dating) was constantly complaining how her old coworkers were prescribing therapy that was 2 decades old and unaware of clinically tested methods that were more effective. So when I hear that a PT isn't up to date I accept that this is probably true. If someone said that about their surgeon, I would be less likely to believe them. Although she used to complain to no end about surgeons who told their patients they didn't need PT, then they ended up seeing the patient 3 months later.

                        Sent from my ADR6425LVW using TGR Forums

                        Comment

                        • jellero
                          Registered User
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 67

                          #13
                          my pt put me on an inversion table five months after a thr. that is when the recovery ended and the pain came back. three months later the pain is relentless. i spoke with my surgeon and he said i should never, ever again be pulling on that leg much less hanging from it but not much service after the sale. so now what? i am also finding that the hip pain, all the pain could be from my back. watch out what you jump into. now i am being sent to a spine surgeon... getting in deeper and deeper. j

                          Comment

                          • Shredhead
                            Registered User
                            • Nov 2003
                            • 8990

                            #14
                            Sorry to hear that Jellero. Try yoga and swimming. They seem to work the best for me.

                            Comment

                            • jellero
                              Registered User
                              • Mar 2011
                              • 67

                              #15
                              thanks... the spine surgeon told me i have damage in my lumbar region. really? that's what i told them when i made the appointment. he said surgery would be "extensive" but didn't suggest surgery so that was a waste of a day. what seems totally counter intuitive is that cutting and hauling firewood helps a lot. loading a truck with rounds, then unloading and the pain just goes away. several days ago walking was almost impossible but after making myself go up and cut wood i can jump off the back of my truck with no pain at all.
                              sitting around causes pain. works for me. i bought a season pass at monarch so will be trying. years ago when my back hurt i would do a bump run and the pain would be gone... ?? how can a PT possibly treat someone if they don't know what is wrong with them? this i do not get and that is why it made my condition worse i would say. j

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