After my first physical therapy appointment in nearly two years, I left feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Physically, I was sore, stiff, and numb, the result of my body awakening after a prolonged period of immobility. My mind understands that this discomfort is a normal response to restarting activity and will improve with continued effort. Yet, in my heart, doubts creep in. Was restarting physical therapy the right decision? Can I handle the challenges ahead? Despite these uncertainties, a glimmer of hope flickers within me, reminding me of the strength I possess and the potential for improvement on this journey.
At my second appointment, Lauren laid out my treatment plan. She shared her understanding of my goals and asked for confirmation. Together, we agreed that my aims include reducing my pain to my usual baseline or below, easing stiffness, enhancing mobility, improving balance, and increasing strength. She astutely observed, "Ultimately, you want to comfortably enjoy time with your grandchildren." Her attentive listening on day one was evident, devoid of any assumptions based solely on my diagnoses.
Given that my initial motive for seeking physical therapy was to address my lower back and hip discomfort, in these upcoming posts, I'll delve into the realm of physical therapy for lower back and hip pain. Lower back pain, meaning pain, tingling, or numbness in the lower body, is very common. Lower back pain can develop from many things ranging from muscle strain, to injury, to poor posture, and to aging. HMMM, jackpot I currently have all of the above.
For day two, Lauren guided me through some seemingly easy, yet exhausting movements. I started out sitting in a chair and rolling a large exercise ball from right to left on the floor. This helped to stretch out my back. The rest of the movements also concentrated on stretching.
I’ll be posting once a week as I work on building up strength.
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