Physical Therapy or Med-evil Torture?

10/26/2014

Those of you who know me well, also know that for oh let's say the past 10+ years I have whined about my left hip and my ability (or lack thereof) for walking and/or standing for long periods of time. I am now seeing a new orthopedic surgeon, who may or may not be 12 years old, wants to revisit therapy, weight loss, epidurals (yuck) to see if any or some combination thereof brings me some relief.  I think that hoping I'll be cured is a stretch, it's osteoarthritis in my hip after all.

I want to be a model patient, which might be a first for me, and though he suggested seeing somebody about weight loss, I have opted to not pay a professional to tell me how to lose weight.  I, like everybody else, knows the secret: put less food in your mouth!  It's really as simple as that.  And, I need to eat a lot less sugar, my personal downfall!

The doctor also ordered physical therapy three times a week for the next six weeks.  I found a small physical therapy office close to the house and my therapist is very nice and has no qualms about putting my legs in positions that they just aren't meant to be in! Of course that's just my opinion.  The act of bending my right leg over my knee and then pressing down really gets my left hip's attention!  After being tortured I do get to rest on a heating pad which is lovely particularly at this time of year.  

I am not looking for a miracle cure, I just want to be able to put my shoes and socks on without grimacing.  I don't think that's asking for too much.  Oh and be able to put my recliner in the upright position without ending up just kicking the footstool portion of the chair down to the floor!

I haven't received exercises to do at home, but I'm sure that sometime next week I'll be given "homework".  I don't enjoy exercise and never had.  "Glowing", i.e., sweating, doesn't seem ladylike!  And, I'm always a lady - at least I think so!

For my exercise today, I'm going to go out into the yard and sweep (yes you read that right) up the leaves in the front yard.  The broom works just as good as a rake, and when you have a pile I simply grab a dustpan and "sweep" the leaves into the standard issued brown bag.

P