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UnguardedVagary

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My GP sent me to PT for my back and neck pain. The therapist started by giving me about 10 minutes of exercises to do at home, but each session he added more and more and I kept getting worse and worse pain in my shoulders. By the time I quit I was up to 2 hours worth of exercises every day! Now I'm seeing a fibro specialist and he told me that was way too much for someone with fibro. I quit PT a couple months ago, but my left shoulder still aches and clicks when I move it. Just so frustrated that I wasted so much time and money on something that made me feel worse and that the physical therapist didn't listen to me and just kept giving me more exercises when I said that I was in pain. He called and left me a voicemail the other day asking how I was doing, but I haven't responded.

Has anybody else had an experience like that in PT?

Has PT actually helped any of you? If so, what sort of exercises were you given?

Should I call him back? And what do I say?
 
MY body responded terribly to physio when i was sent with my first symptoms of pain in my left shoulder blade shoulder and arm...aching feet and a painful knee.

After 6 leg raises at home i could barely weight bear and was hobbling...my 78 year old auntie had to help me get up my drive when prior to physio i had an intermitant problem with pain but could still walk fine!

My whole upper left side seized up after raising my arm over my head just 6 times twice a day...by the next day my shoulder blade shoulder front and back and ribs were frozen for weeks.

No one could understand what was going on and the physio refused to do anymore until i had seen a consultant...this is how i got my diagnosis of fibro.....just months before i didnt have an ache or pain in my body and was perfectly healthy.

So for me physio was a real no go but gentle exercise walking and just keeping as physically active within your limitations is the best way as far as i am concerned.

Good luck...and 2 hours does seem way toooo much for a fibro body....10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day more like but we are all different.
 
UnguardedVagary,
What was your diagnosis? My orthopedic surgeon told me that I had a "frozen shoulder" (adhesive capsulitis), and sent me to physical therapy. I've been going twice/week for 4 weeks, with another tentative 2 more weeks to go.

On the first visit with my physical therapist, I explained my condition of fibro/CFS and post-exertional malaise. She was familiar with my condition, and thought that my illness and lack of activity may have led to the frozen shoulder. She went on to explain that the PT treatment would emphasize stretching (as opposed to exercises and lifting, I suppose).

My one-hour sessions consist of 30 mins. of warm up and stretching, NOT easy by any means, and fairly painful. The stretching is followed by 15 mins. of what I call deep tissue massage. It is also painful, but in a good massage sort of way. I can feel her getting into the frozen tendons and muscles. The last 15 min. she has me lie down for electro-stimulation and ice pack.

The sessions are admittantly a little tortuous. "No pain, no gain", I guess. But with every session I feel my range of motion improving, and pain lessoning. When I first started, I could only raise my hand no higher than shoulder-height, and couldn't place my hand behind my back. After 4-weeks of PT (simultaneously with acupuncture), My shoulder is back to about 80-90%, and I'm guessing complete recovery expected in a few months.

My daily PT homework is to do my stretches for 10-15 mins., more if I can tolerate. "Even stretching while lying in bed or watching tv" is helpful, she says. But no way is it even close to 2 hours each day.

Every body is different, as is every diagnosis. Can your fibro doc refer you to a physical therapist who is familiar with fibro? I hope things work out for you.
 
I had my left shoulder replaced almost a year ago and it still hurts. I did PT from December until May and then quit because my copay was $30.00 a visit and they wanted me to go 3 times a week. Not only was I going to PT I was also going to several doctors at a time and they each required a $30.00 copay so it got to the point where I could no longer afford to go. My orthopedic surgeon moved to New York and assigned me to a new surgeon. I then did about 4 weeks of therapy and then quit due to the cost. I feel I get enough exercise just moving around in my every day life. I do a lot of stretching, bending, lifting and so forth. So I would have to say "no" in my case PT didn't do all that much to help me. My arm still hurts and I still have to put an ice pack on it every night when I go to bed. But I was told it would take up to 18 months or more for the pain to go away completely. My right shoulder needs to be replaced and they want to do surgery on my back for degenerative disc disorder and spinal stenosis which I have no plans of doing. I will live with the pain since the surgery didn't help.
 
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