Physical Therapy: Week 2

I'm noticing progress. I feel like I could start doing my 2 miles walks again but until I'm told I can I'm just sticking with the two home exercises I've been given. No real focus to the shoulder issue yet but it does ache less.

October 17, 2016

I was feeling good this day until around 12:00PM. Feeling aches in my left hip and pain in the lower back. Enough to be annoying but not as bad as it has been. Maybe from doing the chores. H-wave again with heat pack, may have only been 10 minutes this time. Trying to continue to increase my tolerance. My left hip started aching while it was getting setup but once it was one, that went away thankfully. This led to 5 minutes in the prone position with no heat pack this time. Did the usual 30 reps of press-ups (I did them in a row this time) and then things changed a bit. The PT did some pressing on parts of my spine to try and improve mobility. My upper back and mid-thoracic spine muscles really started cramping up during this. I then did 30 press-ups with pressure applied and then more pressing on my spine. After that, I had my ROM tested (farthest my leg could be elevated before I felt tension develop). I was shown a new nerve glide movement that is to replace the one I’m doing now (only 20 instead of 30 reps). I did one set each leg and then ROM was tested again. While my hip had started aching, the my ROM increased by 20 degrees. PT indicated that this was a nerve issue as my muscles didn’t get longer. This was followed by a few minutes of diaphragm breathing. Then 30 reps of theraband pullovers with more band tension (same band as the third day but he was stretching the band out like 15’). This then came back to the diaphragm breathing but working on abdominal muscle control. Trying to suppress the rectus abdominis while engaging the transverse abdominis. This was very difficult. The new exercises (glute bridges and lying clams) as well the older ones (heel push/drags and fall-outs) were dropped. Deemed too easy so I was given table taps and glute bridge leg outs. 20 each side and then finally a modified bird dog exercise for 20 reps each side. I was expecting a soft tissue massage but not today. Guess I got to be kept on my toes guessing what is next.

October 19, 2016

The ache in my left hip is constant now and it doesn’t seem to matter what position I am in now (standing, sitting, lying, walking). It isn’t something that would keep me from doing things but I’ve seen what happens during the past 5 months when I’ve ignored things and tried to keep pressing on. H-wave again with heat pack. Again, this seemed to alleviate the feeling while it was on. Then on to 5 minutes in the prone position with no heat pack this time. 30 reps of the press-ups (I broke them up again into sets of 10 with short rest). I was then on my back to do the diaphragm breathing. I was trying to do the abdominal control for this time. I think I’m getting better at it. Then 30 reps of theraband pullovers with about the same tension as last time (maybe less). This lead to table taps and glute bridge leg outs. 20 each side. More diaphragm breathing with the abdominal control. About 10 minutes total (I was getting tired, I guess I wasn’t supposed to do the muscle control the first time around haha). Then some leg manipulation to try and calm the nerve and then some pressure applied to my spine. The pillows for my hips were removed for the press-ups and I did 30 more with 20 having pressure applied. Two new exercises were holds in a kneeling position (3 sets of 30 sec each side) and isometric crushing of an exercise ball against the wall (3 sets of 10 sec each side). Working on getting the abs and glutes firing properly. Felt good to do something different but this aching is worrying me. Advised to remove pillows for my press-ups that I’m doing throughout the day now.

October 20, 2016

Still dealing with the ache and can’t really pin down something that causes it. Sometimes it is there and other times it is gone for hours. PT says I shouldn’t be too concerned about it as the goal is to get the symptoms of pain out of the leg (pretty much gone) and centralize it. So in that regard, I believe that is working. Surprised that I didn’t have to start with stim and heat. I was put on a treadmill to walk for eight minutes as active warm-up. I started very slow and built up to 3.6mph for walking. Felt weird to be walking on the treadmill as I always have preferred just walking. Right into 30 press-ups and then on my back to do 30 table taps and 20 glute bridge leg outs. Then diaphragm breathing. I was trying to do the abdominal control for this time. Right after that, I did 30 reps of theraband pullovers with about the same tension as last time. Then 20 of the modified bird dog exercise and some movement to try and increase hip flexibility while keeping neutral spine. This lead to the isometric crushing of an exercise ball against the wall. Much smaller ball this time and 10 sets of 10 seconds each side. Getting toasty by that point in the hips and thighs. Then the kneeling hip flexor pose for 3 sets of 30 second each side. I was thinking I was in neutral spine by feel but I was shown a mirror so I could correct it. 30 more press-ups with pressure and then some pressure applied to the spinal muscles. I don’t think I will be getting the stim and heat anymore as I can move about quite a bit more. Still not ready to lift but pain is less and I can stand and walk with less issues for longer now.