After my appointment with the NP last week, I went on a mission to find a physical therapist that offered aqua therapy, and was also covered by our insurance. An extensive internet search and 4 phone calls later, I finally found one.
I went to my first physical therapy appointment today at Performance Physical Therapy. I met with Gina, my PT, for my evaluation. We didn't do too much exercising today, but instead Gina wanted to see my range of motion and also learn more about my surgery and restrictions.
First, she got my surgery background and asked questions about my recovery and future fitness goals. Then we got started on simple stretches. Many of the stretches she had me do are ones that I have been doing at home, and are shown in my last post. New ones included 1. Standing with operated leg on stool, leaning as far forward as I could, and holding it for 30 seconds, and 2. A short-arc quad, which involved placing a towel under my knee, and lifting my foot off the bed. Neither was easy, but after a few reps, I began to get more flexible.
I went to my first physical therapy appointment today at Performance Physical Therapy. I met with Gina, my PT, for my evaluation. We didn't do too much exercising today, but instead Gina wanted to see my range of motion and also learn more about my surgery and restrictions.
First, she got my surgery background and asked questions about my recovery and future fitness goals. Then we got started on simple stretches. Many of the stretches she had me do are ones that I have been doing at home, and are shown in my last post. New ones included 1. Standing with operated leg on stool, leaning as far forward as I could, and holding it for 30 seconds, and 2. A short-arc quad, which involved placing a towel under my knee, and lifting my foot off the bed. Neither was easy, but after a few reps, I began to get more flexible.
My last exercise of the session was trying the stationary bike. Getting on the bike itself was a workout, since I only have one good leg and cannot put any weight on my left foot. Once I was up, the next challenge was getting my feet on the pedals and then around. My left leg has been mostly straight for the last 3 weeks, so getting it to go in a circular motion was not easy! Also, due to my range of motion, getting my knee up to the top while biking was a challenge. It's funny how quickly your muscles want to forget what they are supposed to do!
The good news is, that with our insurance, I have unlimited PT visits. I will be going 3 times per week to get my muscle strength back up. With a little strength training and determination, I will be chasing after those little boys of mine in no time!
The good news is, that with our insurance, I have unlimited PT visits. I will be going 3 times per week to get my muscle strength back up. With a little strength training and determination, I will be chasing after those little boys of mine in no time!