PSA: Don't Cheat on Assigned Physical Therapy

[Old No7]

Darryl, I confess to fudging on a lot of my assigned PT over the years, but there has been so much of it with all the surgeries that it was like being assigned a 20-page paper with footnotes as a high school sophomore, i.e., torture. But I agree that the closer I came to doing the work, the faster I healed. Glad you are ahead of schedule my friend! Can you lift a very, very dry martini with a large olive with the bad arm?

[Ysabel Kid]

We've all been there Darryl. It's part of being a man. At least that is what Mrs. YK says! She's doing PT right now for her shoulder, and she does it 100%. I wish I had that focus...

[Bill in Oregon]

Whoa, Darryl, how did my post end up on yours? Sorry bro! Total mystery.

[AJMD429]

.
One of my patients who himself is a retired neurosurgeon, once said to me:

"For 95% of surgeries, I'd rather have a good surgeon and an excellent physical or occupational therapist, than have a mediocre therapist, even if the surgeon was excelllent..."

With a smile, he said "but I'd want someone like me as the surgeon for the 5% of cases that are exceptionally difficult, even if therapy failed to optimize the outcome..."

My wife (ballet teacher & performer for many years) has had a number of injuries and surgeries, where THERAPY was the key.

I do have to say that - like surgeons, car mechanics, and all others - there is a spectrum of abilities, and a spectrum (perhaps even more importantly) of willingness to bend a knee to the administrators and insurance companies. If you don't have a truly GOOD therapist you may have to find one on your own, and may have to pay for it out of pocket, given the present-day HMO and Medicare reimbursement systems.

But....you get what you pay for. African Hunt - Custom Double RIfle in 416 RIgby, versus Grandpa's Sears & Roebuck 12 gauge with slugs - for many things the shotgun is adequate, but if your life is at stake, perhaps not a risk you want to take. Just beware - the insurance company will ALWAYS want to arm you with the shotgun.

[Old No7]

Whoa, Darryl, how did my post end up on yours? Sorry bro! Total mystery.

Gee, Bill, I have NO IDEA of what you touched -- just DON"T TOUCH IT AGAIN!!!

Cheers!

Old No7

And for those who missed seeing what I'd originally posted...

PSA = A Public Service Announcement

I'd mentioned recently that I am recovering from shoulder (rotator cuff) surgery. Well, the good news is that I'm 2 weeks ahead of where they thought I'd be on the recovery, and the great news is that I'm back to playing my keyboards with both hands -- but avoiding any Jon Lord-style 4-octave glisses, for now... Soon I hope to shoot a .22 rifle off the bench -- although my 12 gauge may wait until the new year.

Many of us may know friends or relatives who didn't like all the added self-induced pain and didn't do all their assigned Physical Therapy exercises, and as a result most of them don't fully recover what they'd lost. But I've been a stickler about mine by enduring any pain -- and it's been quite considerable at times, I'll tell ya -- but I can see the results by the improvements I've already gained in mobility. But I still have a long way to go (9 to 12 months post surgery to get most of my shoulder strength back, especially for lifting overhead), and I've adopted "No Pain, No Gain" as my mantra to get me through.

I sure wouldn't wish shoulder/arm/hand surgery (or other types) on anybody, but if you have to do it and get PT assigned -- be sure to do it just as they say, as it really does help.

Old No7

[TedH]

I had rotator cuff repairs done and a relocation of one of my bicep tendons in my right shoulder in 2022. I have 4 drywall anchors in there with fishing line tying stuff together. At least that's what it all looked like in the video my surgeon gave me of the job he did.
He stressed the importance of the PT after the surgery, and I followed it to the letter for 3 months. It took about a year of healing altogether after the surgery to reach where I'm at now, but that shoulder feels like it did 30 years ago. Now i just need to get the left one done.

[jeepnik]

Looks like I'm headed for another round of PT for my back. The docs have this really foolish method where they order PT "before" the know what the underlying condition is, much less treat it. I usually call them on it, but that's just the way things are set up.

[Bill in Oregon]

Whew!