Has physical therapy helped you if you’ve done it? If not have you found any specific stretches or workouts that help you?
Has physical therapy helped you if you’ve done it? If not have you found any specific stretches or workouts that help you?
I’ve been doing physical therapy for 2 months now 2 times a week. It has given me more confidence that my muscles aren’t dying as fast lol. It also just give me more confidence about my situation in general
There are multiple things I cannot do due to pain level. There are still days that I feel super weak like I could snap but it has gotten less frequent. My legs are incredibly shaky when I put them in the air or work them out. It sucks since it’s out of nowhere but I try to see it as a challenge. There’s points during workout that I just cannot tell my legs what to do anymore. They will tremor how they want. Although this sucks I love to do the workout where you lay on your back and with a medicine ball under your legs and move your legs back and fourth. This is one where my legs will get shaky and continually get worse during but I really like just purely focusing on it and doing my best.
Since we don’t know Exactly what’s going on although have evidence from emg we are taking it a bit easy. I enjoy it a lot because it gives me something to do since I can’t do much cause pain so I look forward to it.
I suffered through extreme sciatic pain for a bit over a year, was walking with a cane at the worst points. Finally got in to a good PT and within a few days I no longer needed a cane. A few weeks and I was running daily with basically no pain.
I think I did 8 weekly sessions (and at home stretches & exercise) and it has basically stayed gone for the last few years except for when I go too long between my regular runs.
The best part of the PT was the massage and the assisted stretches that put pressure on my low back "opening the hips" fuck those were amazing.
Wow that is amazing to hear. I’m so glad you are where you are now. Do you happen to know what assisted stretch that was for opening the hips? My hips are a large issue with me. The muscles all around them are incredibly tight and cause a lot of pain
Thanks! I'm sorry you're dealing with similar pain, it's exhausting. Hopefully you find some relief soon.
I don't remember what each of the assisted stretches were, but the one that was the most magical was literally just me lying prone on the table while he put both hands way low on my back/hips and just leaned his weight into them in the right way. There was another where I was on my back and would rotate my hips as though i was going to lie on my side, but kept my shoulders on the ground. The leg on the outside of the rotation was bent at the knee, and he would assist.
I've had my partner attempt both about a million times and it's nice, but it's not the same as when my PT did it. That goes for most of the other stretches and massage too, even the exercise was better when he was involved because he could correct my form and explain what was being worked and why.
The fact that he understood the physiology so well meant he knew exactly how to manipulate the muscles, tendons, nerves, etc and which stretches to recommend based on my physiology and injury etc.
I'm sure everyone's experience will be different, but an experienced PT absolutely helped me for that particular pain and I definitely recommend looking into it.
I've had good and bad experiences with PT, my latest one with a physician who didn't seem to understand that I knew my own limits.
Strengthing is a vital part to breaking the pain cycle since being sedentary often leads to worse pain, which makes you want to do less, which makes you have worse pain... Making any progress, including in your attitude and confidence, should be celebrated!
If you're still struggling for a diagnosis, try going to a pain doctor and getting multiple opinions.
I have a pain doctor. We finally got evidence on it a week and a half ago. I just got the blood test done a week ago my neurologist wanted but it showed nothing wrong. Neuro did tell me that it was quite likely it wouldn’t show anything. Got a muscle biopsy planned but I’m still waiting for a call to schedule it. The neuro said he has a bunch of ideas for tests but gotta take it one by one so it might take a bit. I also have a rheumo I’m seeing in a couple weeks.
Sounds like you aren’t with that physician anymore, are you going to PT somewhere else or staying away for now?
It sounds like you've got your care covered, that's awesome. I hope you find something substantial! Before I figured out the root of my issues, I spent a lot of time stressing over what it could be - or if it was real at all.
I'm taking a break from PT for now. I've got the Ring Fit game to help keep me active when the weather isn't nice enough for walks. I should probably do something more structured, but it can get exhausting