I Hate Physio!!

Damned69

Physio, I've decided, is the arthritic equivalent of chemo. Yeah I know it's nothing like as bad, but there are several similarities, such as a lot of suffering for something that won't even cure you by itself anyway.

I hate Physio, I really do. I've far better things to do with my life than lying on my side pretending to be a pair of scissors that you can't fully open because of an elastic round my ankles, straining, grunting and feeling uncomfortable. I've never been a "no pain no gain" athletic sporty kind of person to begin with. I'd much rather be cosy. I only reluctantly do a poo, or get in the bath, but at least a bath feels good once you're in it and you come out clean and feeling better. Physio however doesn't leave you feeling good and your hip joint is more screwed than ever, and of course still hurts when you dare swivel it.

Worse, any benefit you're going to get from all this self-torture takes for-bleedin'-ever. Six weeks minimum I got duly informed. And what benefit will you get? You can allegedly move more. Notice that "hurt less" was omitted from that published benefit, as was "cure". My therapist, as I'm paying him, was, regardless of these glaring omissions, effusive about the benefits, the real stretch (see what I did there :D) being "in many cases it's just as good as surgery". Yeah right.

You may be wondering at this point, considering I'm so cynical, skeptical and devoid of any enthusiasm for the whole thing, why I'm nevertheless faithfully doing the exercises prescribed. Because I fear the consequence of NOT doing it! To be fair to my therapist, he figured out what was going on when I and almost certainly the GP would never have, because the pain was referred down my leg (see my article on referred pain) and I was blaming a fully functional knee for what my hip had been doing all along. I'm therefore reasonably inclined to believe him that at least I'll be able to move more.

I can't argue with the fact that I can now put my sock on (just about!) and those excruciating shooting pains referred to my leg occur now less often. But it still hurts in every position except seated. That I fear won't change, but I probably have bought myself more options and time than I would have. I can at least hobble with a stick for around 20 minutes before it gets too much! The way it was heading, I was rapidly losing the ability to walk at all.

So for fear of it being worse, I will continue with the dreaded Physio, moaning, groaning, grumbling and complaining all the way.

Licklelilly

Damned69 Ooooooh...so you've yet to have surgery! Im exactly 2 weeks after my hip op, and I hate the prescribed physio that I should be doing, but I hated it even more before the surgery. I was confused by two schools of thought, my physiotherapist via phone was adamant that I should bear through the pain and never stop moving, yet my consultant/surgeon said DON'T, as I would damage my hip further and just go swimming, in lockdown, yeah right!

stickywicket

Without physio I would certainly be unable to walk. It's kept me mobile despite 60 years of arthritis and despite ancient THRs and TKRs and, yes, sometimes I feel somewhat better immediately. (I'm thinking of when I've trailed very painful knees round the supermarket and just wanted to flake out afterwards. Doing exercises then has really helped.) It cured me once of sciatica and has made possible lots of things that otherwise wouldn't have been.

Jona

Lilymary

Pilates may have been buying me time without me realising for a couple of years before my hip finally turned rogue on me. I was beyond help for the next year, and the referral by my physio for hydrotherapy was scuppered by lockdowns. Just functioning day to day was the highest I could aim.

But post op, my life is all about getting my body working as a single unit again once the searing pain ended, and I credit my physio with all that. It’s finally got to the “push through the pain” stage. I can feel my muscles switching on again with a “ooohhh, I remember how to do it now”. She knows most people don't do their exercises as (a) they’re so boring and (b) it takes sooooo long to see any results, so well done you sticking with it! I confess all the exercises she gave me for my general leg pains pre-hip drama, I gave up with pretty quickly, but when you’re now walking like a wonky donkey there’s an added incentive to do as you’re told, and I'm finally seeing it pay off.

Like @Licklelilly , I was told by my physio pre-op that if it hurts, don’t do it. @Damned69 , she did also stress that building up muscles would help support the injured hip, but I was too far gone for that. I’m going to trust that your physio knows your body well enough to know where to draw the lone. Even post op, there was so much damaged tissue and surgical pain, it was a good few weeks before my battered leg was ready for much more than wiggling my toes, but we’ve been building up the level of strain and for the first time ever I feel it’s worth the effort and pain; I missed my exercises yesterday, and I really noticed the difference this morning so “I. Am. On. It” from now on.

wazz42

Hi @Damned69

I can relate to this, haviing had a knee replacement a couple of years ago. I did few exercises once my knee was bad - before useless knee I was a teacher and joined in netball and such and even rode a bike for pleasure! When I was pre op I went on a course called Joint School where we were given the exercises we would do post op and were advised to do pre op too. I was doing them and was told that if, 30 minutes after finishing an exercise I was in more pain than before exercising I was doing too much. I know - lots of pain before you can work out the right anount of whatever to do.

It made me worried post op, I couldn't move my leg. The lady in the bed opposite, on her second hip replacement told me to do it with my good leg first and then my bad leg! Daisy new knee was speaking a foreign language and had to listen to other knee. I had to do it for a while causing many smiles to the physio department.

I've never loved exercise for it's own sake but those exercises were really worth it

xx

YvonneH

Hi @Jona

Whilst these jokes are very much in keeping with the tone of this discussion, would you be able to keep them in the levity discussion and link to them within other discussions. It saves on duplication and encourages members who haven't found it yet but enjoy one joke to investigate the others and maybe play a game or join in another discussion.

Thanks

Yvonne x

YvonneH

A comment above has been removed from the community as it contains swearing. Unfortunately there is no way to edit an image which is why the decision to delete was made.

Thanks

Yvonne x

Damned69

Hey @Jona just wanted to say your gags are welcome on my threads! Keep 'em coming!

Lilymary

@wazz42 , I never thought of naming my new hip. Given that it’s the equivalent of the new kid in school, I will have to give this some careful thought. 🤫 I just wish the rest of the class would work harder at accepting it

Jona

Hi Damned69,

Glad you like them but I fear I have offended some people with my last joke re physio as it had swearing in it this was never my intention and I never would offend anyone in any way so im afraid that will be my last

stay strong and keep well

love Jona 😊💪

Damned69

Your call, but I don't think someone who is offended is necessarily entitled to any sort of redress. If you never offended anyone you probably never said anything worthwhile. Having offended someone shouldn't stop you doing your thing. You'd end up not daring to get out of bed unless it offended someone.

Mike1

If you can't have a laugh now and again what is the point! I hate being in constant pain, depressed, alone and wondering how much longer I have to put up with all this.

bosh

Hi @Damned69 , oh dear, interesting about the physio, I actually had quite a different experience, the first physio I saw was sort of like my lifeblood, as it were, her advice really helped me, she was also very friendly and approachable, I know it’s a massive pain in the…well, I won’t say knee, lol, but it’s definitely worth keeping on and persevering with , I tend to start the morning with some exercises, as I’m naturally quite lazy, lol. Take care.

Damned69

I I am pleased to inform you @bosh that I have nothing against my Physiotherapist, and indeed I'm very grateful for his diagnosis, crucial information, particularly about referred pain, and a programme that has at least enabled me to put my sock on. It is only the Physio itself I detest - and always will, even if it's doing me good!

bosh

Ok fair enough @Damned69

Mike1

Three Physios have said that there is nothing they can do for me, a Pilates Instructor has refused to continue giving me one to one sessions and a GP and Consultant have both told me not to exercise as it would exacerbate my problems!

Damned69

Gee @Mike1 that's frustrating. The reality is that any therapy is limited in what it can do and who it can help. It must be doubly frustrating when you're willing to put the work in and no one's even letting you do the work. You will need to knock on different doors, as the ones you've been knocking on aren't opening. And please, if you're not coping, people need to know, so scream it if necessary.

Mike1

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/681826#Comment_681826

Just too far gone me thinks!