Evaluation of therapy-tips.
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July 25, 2006 at 10:12 am
Hi,
How do we, as patients, evaluate our therapies? They judge us and report it, right? What can we do to understand better, what is helping, and how our bodies can feel better, or preform better, in therapy? What you may want to try, or push the envolope on, or do differently to achieve a better result? Most all, are on insurance of somekind. So, I’ll speak in those terms. My main point being, how do we eval our therapy as it is in progress? I see a lot, waiting until the end to get the test results, in a general sence. Any ideas out there on what might help in this area?
My general overall example, was to first step back completly ever once in awhile, see if my energy improved, and my overall body comfort improved, or not, by doing nothing but the minimum, and recharging the batteries as much as possable. Gave me more of an idea of how much energy therapy is using up. How much pain was caused by therapy and excercise and so on. Look at what and how things were being done, what might be tried, and reset of priorities based on how things are going up to that point. For us in America, from June to September is what? Vacation time. For therapists too. Instead of taking a subsitute therapist, wasting in all honesty, a valuable session, I asked for a ‘right of first refusal’ on any person offered, to take my consistent therapist’s place while on vacation. Or, they take their vacation, for one week or two, or whatever, and I’ll take one too, then we will continue therapy just as it was. Perfectly legal under insurance contracts, and is not a discontinuation of therapy, or refusal of therapy. It’s an interupution of therapy due to hospital or therapy outlet’s personell issues and policies. Period. You now have a choice, don’t you? Take a sub and have the lowest quality session to date, ask for a better suited therapist to fill the void and raise quality, or take the time off and do your own status report and state of the union. Also a way to streatch out therapy as reload time nears in January. What have you tried? -
July 25, 2006 at 1:16 pm
I wouldn’t know how to answer this but with just rest for a few day’s and see if everything is in order afterwards. I do all my own therapy because insurance won’t pay for it. They say that it’s not necessary for my case. I do good by myself. I take a break at least one day a week. I might be pushing to hard but my body will tell me to slow down. I don’t know if I answered your question or not. Take care.
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July 26, 2006 at 12:30 pm
[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]As usual, Marc has another interesting topic for discussion and/or food for thought.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Personally, I enjoy using different physical therapists every once in awhile. Therapy can become a bit “stagnant” using the one therapist. When I have different pt’s, I feel it is drawing info, experience & ideas from different sources. And you never know just what idea may be [SIZE=4]”THEE ONE”[/SIZE] that will let you accomplish what it is you are trying to do, or, as I put it, finding my “groove”. Different therapists is like having a large “brain pool” to draw resources from. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]Also, having the feedback of the different physical therapists gives me ideas when I reach a plateau & I risk being released from pt. As it stands now, when I reach my plateau, I intend to request a different tact to take for my legs/hip (biking machine or weights) to get me by & the muscles strong.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]When I was running, I ran some days and lifted weights (not that many #’s, tho) other days. Had I thought about it, I would have added biking into the mix, too. PT, besides Physical Therapist, can stand for Personal Trainer. If athlete’s cross-train, why can’t we?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]This works for me. Maybe to others, different physical therapists would be too confusing.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] -
July 27, 2006 at 12:02 am
i do my own pt at home everyday. i walk more around the house, make more trips to the kitchen, bathroom, outside, pool and so on. i bend over more often then necessary to pick things up, instead of doing it in one time. i do aquatic therapy when i feel like it-can only do alittle a day, otherwise i can’t climb the ladder to get out of the pool. i use my life jacket when i do my pool workout, and other inflatables to work the arms and legs and trunk. i have been in sooo many different therapies over the years, i just adapt them to my own needs as i need them. i walk down the street when i don’t have alot of other therapies to do in the house. i am now doing more sewing, which helps out the fine motor skills and vision and coordination. i also do the other pt-pet therapy, it is very important to me everyday. not to mention i can’t get away with not playing ball with momma’s boy!:rolleyes: my insurance stopped paying for my pt back in dec, which meant that i have had to go against my drs scripts for pt after my last 2 paralysis because i had no money until last month to pay out of pocket for what i have been doing at home. i just know how to adjust my therapies to what i feel i can do without wearing myself out too much. take care!:)
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July 27, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Marc seems to have hit on a very important phase of ones therapy — now in my 30th month of recovery I am at a outpatient rehab unit 4 days a week (M-T) with Friday off as well as the weekend -pool-OT-PT keep me very occupied each morning — my PT folks change slightly -2 different pool people who work as a team but have different styles ,a big plus in my case. They both challenge me in very different ways however we all are working towards the same goals . My “land” PT is the same person and I have dicovered that he is less apt to move onto different concepts unless pushed — My feeling is that he sometime is less apt to change the program as he has become more comfortable operating in what for him now is a safer zone . It became very obvious when on a few occasions he was not there and other PTs took over pushing me in different directions and upping the “ante” so to speak . As all the activity is documented he saw what had been done and started to include these excercises in his/my program.. As I was unaware of all the different approaches I have now become far more pro-active in asking for new/different approaches to increase my strength.
Currently — working sit/stand — once standing (in walker) can navigate in the house 1500-2000 feet -starting to do step-up to a 6″ step (Still very difficult) in the pool can do steps from 4′-31/2-3″ (balance still difficult )
One I believe has to be constantly aware of his/hers current ability and then do ones best to move to another level — even if it means dragging your PT/OT person along . So much I have come to believe is focusing, focusing and more focusing —Hope this relates to Marcs’ original thread.
Robert L ..
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July 28, 2006 at 11:20 pm
Learning how to pace oneself, read the signs of fatigue before it accumulates, was important for me. Adaptive yoga through the MS Society, massage, and water therapy worked for me.
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July 29, 2006 at 12:00 am
Hi,
I’ve often heard about people who have siezures, that an aura occurs, and is readable, before hand. Sounds like Linda has caught onto that in a form, and how it can be applied to GBS residuals. All the signs are there that something is coming, just learning the language can be a bit frustrating.
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