Adventures in physical therapy

[wendyzski]

My physical therapist actually talkes faster than *I* do! AND he does it while spouting medico-babble. All I was able to understand is that the problem was mostly related to the something-beginning-with-'I'-band. (Google later helped me narrow down the likely suspects to iliotibial).

Basically, I've got two problems. First, the actual injury when the knee tried to bend sideways did some damage which is still healing. But complicating that is the fact that there is swelling in there pressing on the nerves which activate this band and it's connected muscles and things that runs all the way from my butt around the outside of my thigh and down alond the knee to the ankle. This nerve is being cranky and sending irate messages up and down the line which is causing pain and tension in this whole setup.

My PT at this point involves heat, massage, and stretching. After yesterday's session I was walking much more easily and in less pain - this lasted about 2-3 hours before everything tightened up again, so I'm hopeful that we are doing the right thing.

I learned something amusing last night though - I have a distinct lack of actual chair-like chairs in my home! I have low couches, rolling office chairs, bar-height kitchen chairs, ikea lounging chairs and a papasan chair - NONE of which are the proper height and angle for one of the stretches I'm supposed to be doing. I had to actually go get a folding chair from the closet to get them done.

Also note to self - do NOT do your last set of stretches right before bedtime. This will cause you to wake up 2 hours later with severe pain and muscle cramps all the way down your left leg. It's really hard to get into a hot bath like that, especially at 1AM. Let's try doing those around dinner time so you can "walk it off" afterwards.

Comments

[capi.livejournal.com]

*wince*

*gentle massage*

LOVE da Wendy lady!!

[ashtalet.livejournal.com]

How much PT are you slated for?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Not sure yet - 2 weeks at least, depending on how I progress.

I go in next Monday and Thursday before work and on Thurs I also have a recheck with the doctor.

[markellynch.livejournal.com]

Advil? It's a nice anti-inflammatory and will help with the swelling part of your problem. If you're like me and can't take it because it's hard on your stomach or interacts with other meds, see if you doctor will hook you up with Voltaren gel. Basically you rub it on the knee three times a day and it absorbs in a localized fashion. It's got some sort of anti-inflammatory med in it plus some stuff that gets the blood moving and warms the joint (same stuff as what's in pepper spray so washing of hands after application is necessary).
I loves the Voltaren gel. It makes walking not wincing and going up stairs possible.
Hugs-
Kell

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I;m on 800mg of ibuprofen 3x/day for the first week, to get things back down to more normal, then probably an OTC level after that.

[dragonsblog.livejournal.com]

Physical therapy made my knee hurt worse for weeks. I was always irritated that what was supposed to make me better resulted in more pain. It eventually helped. How odd they have you doing heat, I'd expect ice. Knee problems suck, I hope you feel better!

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I iced the actual injury site the day it happened. The main pain issues I have are mostly caused my muscle tension triggered by irritation/injury to the nerve bundle that runs that band-with-an-"i".

The knee itself doesn't hurt while sitting or carefully walking - only on uneven ground or if I put a foot down wrong, or if some bimbo on the bus smacks it with her oversize designer shopping bag. But right now there is a solid painful line of muscle running from just to the front of my left outer ankle up along the front and outside of the calf to the knee and then spiraling up the back of my calf to my butt. THAT is what we are working on relaxing with heat, massage, and stretching. These areas are where I was getting that "funny-bone" kind of feeling shortly after the actual injury, so something is definitely pressing on/pulling on/generally pissing off the nerves in there.