Quick question

[bookishwench]

My mother has been in physical therapy for the better part of three weeks now due to a neck injury she sustained in November (basically, she overdid it raking leaves, and one doctor referred to it as a sprained neck). Prior to that she went to a chiropractor. She stopped going to said chiropractor because the adjustments were both really painful and making her nauseous.

However, the physical therapy she's in sounds a heck of a lot like boot camp. The woman is 71, though admittedly a pretty fit 71, and they have her hoisting 25 pounds+ with her neck muscles for fifteen minutes on end(and they are continuing to increase this by two pounds every time she shows up), riding a stationary bike at break-neck speeds (the kind that moves arms and legs together) until she practically drops, and her "neural-muscular therapy," which seems to be some variety of highly painful massage, nearly put her in the hospital on Wednesday from massive headache and elevated blood pressure (they only check her blood pressure before she starts, never during the exercises). She scared me to death when she came home that day because she looked like she was going to pass out. She is literally at this place for two hours straight three days a week working out to the point of near physical exhaustion, and they just keep pushing her harder. She comes home in pain, and she just barely starts to feel better when she has to go back again and winds up in pain all over again.

She cancelled her appointment for Thursday morning because she just couldn't handle it. She'd almost gone into a panic attack the previous night. Since not going and instead actually resting, she's feeling much better.

So, question. Anyone here ever been in physical therapy? Is that level of pain normal? Or are they treating my mother like a guinea pig and taking bets just how fast she'll run on the wheel before she passes out, because I'm seriously starting to suspect it's the last one.

Comments

[madripoor-rose.livejournal.com]

That....does sound a little extreme. I was only 'in' PT as an observer with my mom after her strokes (and so I could learn a few of the exercises and kept up with them at home after the idiot insurance decided it wasn't helping her fast enough.) They do want you to push yourself...that's the way to get stronger...but this does not sound normal to me.

[bookishwench.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's pushing, but I think the problem is these people don't realize that when they tell her to do something, she'll all but kill herself to do it rather than stop. That's how she got hurt in the first place. And thank you!

[misswitch.livejournal.com]

I don't have an actual answer to your question yet. I'm going to ask my parents when I call home this weekend. (Mom had PT when her knees and hips were replaced and Dad when he banged his shoulder to hell falling down the stairs.) But based on what I remember, that is over the top extreme.

My friend Bethany did complain of pain with her ankle PT, but she was doing things like picking up marbles with her toes. (she had nerve issues)

I know your mom doesn't like confrontation, so maybe you need to go with her, but she needs them to explain exactly why they are going so extreme.

[bookishwench.livejournal.com]

I'll really be curious to know what your parents say, and thank you.

Unfortunately she goes when I'm at work, but yeah, she's come to the conclusion that they're basically expecting her to work until she says uncle... and that word isn't in her vocabulary.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I was in PT for my knee and it was nothing like this. In fact they went very slowly, only adding an exercise when i was finally able to do it.

It sounds like they are way over extreme with what they are having your mon do.

[bookishwench.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the response. Yeah, I'm thinking that PT for different injuries varies, but I think they don't get that when they put a challenge in front of her, she will literally rip herself to shreds to meet what they're telling her to do.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I've been to PT for my right arm/hand/leg. My appointments were for an hour at a time, three times a week. We started with stretching. Then, sometimes I'd have to get on all fours and hold myself up with my leg side, while stretching out my right leg. Or I'd have to keep myself up with my right side and lift things with my left hand. Basically - it was an hour workout three times a week. I'd leave sweating and out of breath. They also kept pushing me harder and harder. I'd end up in a great deal of pain the following day.

As harsh as it seems - that pain and that sort of routine is normal. For me, they were literally trying to reprogram my brain to work with my muscles. Of course, I have a physical disability, so it is different.

I remember looking around during my sessions and seeing middle aged/elderly women riding bikes, jogging, lifting weights. So, I would say get stronger and rebuild muscles, etc. Her PT seems a bit rough, but maybe she needs a less stressful routine. Maybe she could speak with her doctor about going just twice a week or for one hour at a time?

[bookishwench.livejournal.com]

First off, thank you for the response.

I guess I can see why it would need to be difficult, but there's "difficult" and then there's "scared I'm about to have a stroke." Cutting back does seem like the logical answer.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

You are welcome. :) Oh, I forgot about it, but my older sister went to PT after she broke a bone in her leg and they worked her hard, too. Some days, he thought she was going to die.

I would try cutting back first. Because most PT places are going to have to work beyond your comfort zone. She may just need to build up strength.

[nekosensei.livejournal.com]

Ouch! I feel for your mother. I was diagnosed with a neck sprain in 2007, and it was horrible. I had neck pain and frequent migraines because the pain would spread up from my neck and into my head. I also felt weird buzzing sensations in the back of my head, which turned out to be caused by muscle spasms at the top of my neck. (Try calling up your doctor and telling them the back of your head is buzzing sometime. You get some really strange looks).

So yeah...the whole ordeal sucked royally. I had to go to PT, and I remember that they had me exercise and do stretches. The PT also manipulated the muscles in my neck a bit too. I don't remember the exercises being particularly strenous though. Your mom either needs to speak up and have them do things that are more age appropriate for her, or she needs to find a PT that is more understanding.