Thursday, February 11, 2010

Move to Work

So I finally went to physical therapy. Well, not finally - I mean, the doctor only prescribed it for me less than a week ago.

My appointment was bright and early yesterday. They can start at 07:00, which would be perfect for me, but I could not get in until an hour later. Bummer. But since I wasn't going to BWI, or anywhere else for that matter, it wasn't too much of an inconvenience.

This visit was mostly just my evaluation/assessment, still it took a full billable hour.

Morty and Becca told me what they thought the visit would be like. Words like 'massage', 'heat pads' and 'acupuncture' were thrown around. Lies. All lies.

It was nothing more than questions, sight evaluation of my movements and exercises to do there and at home and in the office.

Mind you when Morty said 'massage', I had to throw in a line about 'as long as there is a happy ending....', and I'm not talking Cinderella or the Goldilocks or the Deathly Hallows.

Let me just say this about "Adam", my new physical therapist: I would have gladly given him the happy ending. End of story.

Adam isn't what you'd probably call classically handsome, but that's not my type anyway. What chance does a guy like me have at classically handsome? Not that I have a chance at this either - or that I'd take said chance had it been offered. But if I have to spend 2-3 hours a week with a therapist, I should at least have some eye candy, right?

First, I've never seen a physical therapist who is out of shape - and Adam is no exception. And his Semitic good looks (ok, his nose) are a huge huge huge plus (so is his nose!). Yet the man was engaging and thorough and that's really what I was there for.

He really doesn't see PT as being long term for me. He saw some great things (his words) with some of the paces he put me through. I'm sure I'm on the low scale of some of the stuff they see in that office. So he doesn't think that there is nothing non-fixable, and he thinks it can all be done in three weeks or so.

Here's hoping.

But he agreed: no spinning. It is an activity that has you hunched over too much and too hard on the spine. He disagreed with the doctor about yoga, within reason. No poses that has me bent over or folded, which does limit somethings that happen in the studio, but the cat-cows, child's pose, pigeon and others that really stretch the back should be just fine and even beneficial to my recovery.

Oddly enough, he thinks weight lifting is just fine. My issue isn't really lifting as much as how to get on and off the weight bench. While I look like a moron doing it, apparently I am doing it the correct way for an gimp.

We both agreed: no sit-ups, inclined or otherwise.

Adam wouldn't look up my radiology exams, at least in front of me, as he didn't want to tell me something that he feels would label me. He said it better than that, but I get it. If I can move and he can fix me, what is the point of saying x, y or z. His rationale is that the two of us could have the exact same film (the tease!) and yet we could still respond differently to any therapy.

I ran into a guy from my yoga class at PT. He knew about my fall and my absence from the twice a week class. He's been doing PT for a while and had nothing but great things to say on how far he's come (I don't know what his issues were, nor did I ask, and he didn't offer).

So I will see Adam 2-3 times per week for the next 2-3 weeks. Not only will I see him, but I will keep looking at him too.


Song by: Fine Young Cannibals

1 comment:

Birdie said...

I'm relieved that you are working on your back at last. Got to take of ourselves.