Just about a year ago I had a shoulder impingement. I was proactive about it, figured out what it was, and started doing some exercises I thought were safe. I phoned my doctor for an appointment with a physical therapist to make sure I wasn’t doing anything to make it worse.
I had no trouble reaching the office, and they made an appointment with the doctor in about two weeks. She agreed with my diagnosis and gave me a referral for a physical therapist. They gave me an appointment in about another two weeks.
This year for Andy’s leg pain was completely different. It’s hard to reach the doctor’s office by phone…we get put on hold for quite a while. So he went in person and asked to talk to a nurse to find out what he should do. The doctor had an opening in a half hour, so he waited. She gave orders for an X-ray and gave him a referral for a physical therapist. Just in case, she said don’t make the appointment until the X-rays came back. When they did they indicated therapy was the right approach, so he went there and got an appointment for the next morning.
The therapist gave him some exercises to do every day, and they scheduled him for four more weekly visits. Figures crossed the exercises help…the pain is keeping him from his daily walks, and lack of exercise is dangerous for us old folks. We’re pleased he can get started right away.
November 12, 2020
yes! will be holding good thoughts!
exercise seems to sometimes be a ‘catch 22’ situation!
too much of a good thing can bring on problems. it’s so hard to know!
but Andy’s overall health seems so good. I hope it resolves itself soon!
We have a lot of knowledge at our disposal, thank goodness!
Moderation with everything…even moderation (hope all will be well for him…soon)
And I really liked reading about your low covid numbers in previous post)
The numbers are going up, we’re up to 82 now, 6 in one day. The graph doesn’t look good, even though the absolute numbers are still low.
So sorry you had to experience that. I’m unfamiliar with the term shoulder impingment, but a few years ago developed frozen shoulder, making it near impossible to sleep. Who knew the pain from one’s shoulder could be so intense?
So impressed by the speedy response – both at the doctor’s office and P.T.. Wow. Fingers crossed he’ll be pain-free sooner rather than later.
Yes, frozen shoulder, I had one of those. That’s why I was so proactive about the impingement. Did they do the physical therapy torture on you too?
We hope things go well for Andy. As you will remember, I had that severe break to my arm in January that started the whole Misty saga. I was only about a third of the way through my PT program when Covid-19 hit. For safety sake I was advised not to continue going to the PT facility. It definitely slowed down my recovery. I am probably 95% back to normal, which is good, but I can’t help but wonder if things wouldn’t be even better if I had been able to finish the program. Good luck to Andy. He will be in my prayers.
Thank you! I’m sorry your treatment was interrupted… I do remember that horrible time for you.
…take it easy Andy, and hopefully all will be well…hard to know what’s best when “things” are not so easy to obtain in 2020!
In fact, we were pleased that it was so much easier for Andy to get treatment now than it was for me last year this time. Hopefully he will be as lucky with the results
Physical therapist can work wonders….I hope Andy has the same success we have had.
Yes! Me too.
Physical therapy is usually quite helpful if you fully engage in what they want you to do while there and at home. Fingers crossed Andy gets good results.
It doesn’t always solve the problem, but Andy will be playing his part well.
I’m glad he got some prompt attention. What is the diagnosis?
He had guessed that something in his spine was pressing on a nerve as the day progressed…it didn’t hurt in the morning. The therapist agreed and showed him how the third lumbar vertebrae (I think I have that right) would be the one causing the pain in the outside of his leg. So she gave him some exercises to lighten the pressure. He does some of them several times a day, but it’s way too soon if they will help
Yes, everything is much different than it was a year ago. I’m glad that he was able to get in so quickly though. It’s rather sad that in order to get a hold of the doctor he had to go in to the office
The nice thing is the office is so close, and we really like the doctor… we make a good team.
Here’s hoping the exercises will help and Andy can resume his usual routines.
Thanks.
I am a huge fan of therapist and the things that they can do for the pains that we have. 15 years ago I had to go for therapy for my knee and they were charging me $50 per visit and they wanted me to go twice a week. That was my copay. I explained to them that I could not afford to even go once a week at those prices so they printed out the exercise has showed me how to do them and she said come to times and I will teach you to do these yourself. So now I know how to do them and when and I have done them Faithfully three to five times a week and as long as I do them I don’t have the pain from the spur in my right knee if I missed two weeks like I did when I fell then it comes back but once I start doing them it goes away. I hope that’s what will happen for your husband and I just wanted you both to know that you can do the therapy yourself and if you tell them you want them to teach you they will or at least I did. I too had to frozen shoulder and my doctor showed me the exercises to do to break it loose and I did work at loose it and it sure was painful. Prayers your hubby will get better soon and be able to walk. Also you said you don’t take selfies because you don’t like them I hate my selfies and I take them and I have probably deleted to get one that I will post I delete 30 or 40 and that’s not an exaggeration. One trick to it is to get the phone as far away from your face as you can
Thanks!
Good morning! To answer your question, yes they prescribed PT. But like Sandra said, the copays were ridiculous so I quit and began doing my own at-home exercises. Happy Friday!
Happy Friday to you, too! Although I don’t know where the week/weeks/months went. Time is zipping by.
Wish him well.
A year ago, I developed knee pain, which had me using a walker. Horrid! Had to get a particular shot, to eliminate it.
I’m glad the shot worked!
I will be praying for him.
Thank you. 🙂