PT and Me

I started Physical Therapy (PT) on Monday. My therapist is Amber and she's treated me well. This is the same PT site that my wife used several years ago when she her hands done... carpal tunnel and trigger fingers. She had a great experience with this staff and I wanted them as my PTs, too.

I started my therapy session with a bunch of measurements. This is very typical for the initial meeting. All my PT experiences before did so in order to get a base reading for future progress.

After the readings, I had my right hand dipped in paraffin wax for heat therapy and my elbow wrapped in moist heated towels. Ahhhhhhh... that made them feel so good.

Amber then massaged my wrist, forearm, and elbow with a rubbing cream with cocoa butter. This helps to stimulate the blood flow in these areas.

We then did about 6 minutes of stretching the wrist and forearm. Amber applied a pressure to help in the static stretches. It was a bit tender and sore, but it needs to be done.

Finally, she iced my hand and wrist area and placed a cortisone patch on the right elbow. The patch and a conductor patch are attached and stimulated with a device similar to a TENS unit. The pulse allows the absorbing medication to reach the tender area and help reduce inflammation.

All this was repeated on Wednesday. The only thing different was that she gave me a portable patch that had a charged battery on it. I wore this patch for about an hour after leaving the office and then discarded it... Cool.

I must go through therapy twice a week until November 20, 2008. That is my follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully, when I return to see him, he'll give me another cortisone shot in my right hand. The one he gave me back in May, 2008, is finally wearing off and my wrist is beginning to ache again.

So, for the time being, my fishing is on hold. I'm hoping to feel much better by November 15, 2008. That is the opening day for water fowl in Pennsylvania. My buddy, Pete, and I'll be 'blasting and casting' through January!

Oh yeah, basketball tryouts for the junior high level teams I assist in the local school district starts on November 17th! It's sort of hard being a field and foul shooting coach when your shooting arm is hurting. :-(

Take care,
dad