About in-home PT

[Woodstock Hippy]

I'm thinking about skipping it.  I'm getting occupational therapy here every day and they do all the stuff like getting into the shower and getting on socks.  I'm feeling that the in-home will just waste my time.  I want to go right back to the guys who have been working on my shoulder.  They said that they will work on the shoulder at the same time.

How was your in-house PT?

[David]

Horrible for me...told the guy not to come back.  I went to my PT the next week.  If you can get a ride to your PT, I say skip it.

[Woodstock Hippy]

Yea Dave, I like the guys at Plainview PT and they are only 1.25 miles away. My wife can take me or I can take a cab.

[curt]

     I didn't get any PT prescribed by Dr. Gross, either at home or in a PT facility.  I'm sure that insurance would have probably paid, but I'm not sure that it has been necessary.  The little exercises they give you seem to do fine in conjunction with the walking.
     Did anyone else working with Dr. Gross get any PT?  I feel jipped.  Oh well, I'm walking fine and waiting for my 6 month "and they're off!!" to start baby impact.

Curt (feeling neglected)

[Woodstock Hippy]

Curt, how long hs it been?  How do you fee?

[curt]

       Done on 30 Sep and just passed 7 weeks.  Hip is awesome, last hurdle was strengthening my abduction muscles (sideways lifting) and balancing on operated leg to put on pants.  Both are better from the post-7 weeks exercises they gave me and just plain ole using them.
      Still don't do anything but walking and the leg lifts, but I think its enough.  Played golf last week and rotated the shizzle out of my hip with no pain or twinges.  The rest of me is broken down, but knock on wood, I think this new hip is a miracle.  I have no reason to doubt that in March I'm going to be testing the waters with a little running (very little to start).
      I think doing at home PT by myself hasn't set me back at all.  If anything, I do way too much just living and doing chores around the house, and the exercises and walking seem to be plenty to keep me improving.  I would actually be a little afraid that a PT would make me push too hard if that makes sense.  To each his own.     
       Keep chugging away on your recovery, sounds like you're doing great!

Curt

[hernanu]

I think we have all sort of successful different approaches here. Mine was great for me, in that the home PT got me prepared and the outpatiend PT really worked my smaller muscles. I feel like they were a great benefit, and prepared me for a return to working out with new exercises in my repertoire.

Anything that works in making you fit again in the core and hip muscles is great in my view; personally loved my PT.

[ScubaDuck]

I get a lot of great exercises from my PT.  Even though I have been working out twice a day for weeks and weeks, I still feel like I need PT for a few more weeks.  I go once a week and there are some exercises I can only do there. 

This last week was really tough and made me very sore.  They are able to focus on the smaller muscles in the hip capsule.

I was able to get my strength back quickly because I was in good shape.  I have been able to walk without a limp for weeks now.  I can do most daily activities without pain or problems.  But still I feel that I could have problems like I have read about here if I don't work on the minor muscles also.

Dan

[Dan L]

Home PT was essential to my recovery, in part because it was all that was required through the protocol from my surgeon, and because you could track improvement virtually every day.  We're required to do it 3x per day, every day, for 12 months.  It hurt alot in the beginning.

I was able to do socks at 2-3 weeks from surgery, able to bend bad leg and such a couple weeks out.   

The tracking improvment aspect was critical to the "feeling better mentally" as I went through the process.  My 2 cents is that is the most important part of the recovery process, and I would not suggest skipping it.

Dan

[lori.36]

She only came once!  Nice thing about the in-home is that is was covered 100% by insurance no co-pay.  She taught me how to get on my bike, and how to get in my car so that I could drive to PT.  Do what feels right.

[Woodstock Hippy]

I'm getting all that here.  Today I learned how to get into the car today, learned the shower yesterday and already practiced with the hip tools.  They are kicking me out on Thursday, two days early.  I'm going to call my PT and set up appointments for sat and sun.

[Anniee]

Curt, in most cases Dr. Gross does not prescribe PT because his patients do not need it.  Most of us do just fine with the PT exercises they give us to do ourselves at home. However, I had my post-op appointment for my left hip with Lee last week, and I asked her for a prescription for PT because I feel like I have had to walk funny for a long time to protect my painful hips, and I'm not sure I know how to walk normally any more.  Lee said she does not really think I need it, but she gave me a prescription for 1-2 session to check my gait.  My first PT appointment is on December 1. I'll let you know how it goes...

[Neild5]

Since my back doctor and the surgeon who did my hip are board certified physiatrists they both wanted me doing PT.  I never regretted it, in fact I looked forward to my visits with Stacey.  I had met the home PT when a friend had a total hip and I did not want to waste my time with him!     

[curt]

Annie, pls let me know how it goes.  I've felt like I'm on track, but I'll be interested to hear your opinion on whether they provide positive benefit beyond motiviation.  Certainly at some point here, I will have exhausted the benefit derived from the phase two at home stuff, and will probaby want to do more focused resistance work.  Your advice will certainly be appreciated.

Curt

[David]

Just to set the record straight, Jim started this thread questioning whether or not "in home PT" was beneficial as opposed to going directly to "outside in office PT".  Don't be duped into thinking one will not benefit from going to PT at all or "certain doctors" patients don't need it.  All can and should benefit from initial and continued physical therapy and continued exercise...
Pump it...

[curt]

      I hope at 51 I don't get duped much anymore.  Considering the "strides" I've made since the operation without local PT beyond what they showed me on day 2, I feel things are going pretty well.  I certainly believe that having a professional personal trainer can improve your workouts, but working out on your own can have great benefit too, if you are diligent.  Likewise, PT can be helpful if they know what they are doing, and can set you back if they don't.
      So, add to his thread, at home, at office, and on your own as possibilities. 

Curt

[Woodstock Hippy]

One big benefit of going to a professional PT is that they make sure that you are doing the exercises correctly.  If you only do the exercises on your own, you could be doing them wrong and doing as much harm as good

A long time ago I took a Total Imersion weekend swim clinic.  They teach you proper form and show you all the drills you need to get fast.  They say that drills are more important than yardage.  So I drilled all winter but there was no one there to see if I was doing it right.  In the spring time I was worse than if I had just sat home all winter.

By the way,  I get out on Thursday and I already made appointments for out-patient PT on Friday and Saturday

[Anniee]

Interesting discussion!  Curt, I will definitely let you know what I think about the PT session vs. doing the exercises at home after my appointment on Thursday next week.

[PistolPete]

I got discharged today.  Not really sure why but she said because my progress is so good and that I'm doing all the exercises there is no need for her to keep coming out.  I asked her about out-patient therapy and she said to wait until after my appointment with my surgeon on Dec. 16th to start that up.  She said the time from now till then will allow me the healing and strengthening so when I go there it will be easier for me.  She said if I start now I will just be extremely sore and it may actually slow down my progress.

[hernanu]

I had a week or two layover too. Just do your current exercises, skip the changing tire exercises  ;D and you'll be fine. The outpatient work will come, it will be more intense.