This morning I started Physical Therapy for the first time ever….all I have to say is WHY OH WHY HAVE YOU PEOPLE BEEN HIDING THIS FROM ME (Mr.SA included!)??!! ….and really, why haven’t my past Dr’s ever ordered this for me before?? I’ve had osteoarthritis in my lower back for 10 years now and I’m in constant (albeit minor) pain, but it also rears it’s ugly head about once a month where I’m laying on a heating pad and popping pain relievers. Six years ago I pulled a bunch of muscles (trapezius?) in my upper left back and down my left elbow (lifting a couch…no, I’m not stupid, I was just lifting one end at a time to move it so I could clean). Since then I’ve had constant numbness and tingling in my left hand and occasional flare ups and muscle spasms…I just figured I’d pinched a nerve and was probably going to need shoulder surgery some day. Well let me tell you…Physical Therapy was great…electric stimulation (yes I got SHOCKED),

hot pads (I almost fell asleep it was so nice), then some evaluation/range of motion and some exercising. One machine had Atari like games on it were you had to push the sliding board you’re laying on up and down so that the blocks on the screen don’t hit your block…GENIUS…they should have these in every gym class at schools...my boys would love it. It ended with more evaluation that felt more like leg stretches and a neck massage (yes, I’d noticed that lump of muscle between my shoulder and neck...I just thought I was turning into a hunchback…apparently I had a huge ‘knot’ of tight muscle).

(Hunchback/Quasimodo rings bells in gym while other guys pull weights.) by Mort Gerberg

My results were that my osteoarthritis in my lower back can be helped by core strengthening, and I do have slight scoliosis and pretty pronounced lordosis (that swayback thing I thought I had) from compensating for my lower back problems...so I'm pretty much shaped like the letter Q. Now I do have some minor problems with my shoulder, but the main issue is with my neck…HUH? who would have known?! So if we can loosen up the muscles that have tightened around the neck and upper spine it should eleviate the pressure on the spine there, which is where the nerves come out of the spine and go down my left arm. Do you have all that…there’s going to be a test. Actually, I just wanted to write it down so I remember…bottom line is, no shoulder surgery and hopefully I can get this all better through PT. I know you people in the PT Club have just been keeping this a secret so you can get in to your PT more easily, well, book your appointments now…the word is out baby…I’ve just joined the club…I’m a card carrying member now…and I’m a blabbermouth about things I like!

I am surprised your your pains were not blamed on your weight. Every illness or injury I have had in the last five years was blamed on my weight by my MD;

1. You got struck by lightening, well if your were not so morbidly obese you would not have been such a target.

2. You just got attacked by a tiger, well if you were not so morbidly obese you would not have been as appetizing to the tiger now would you.

3.You just got shot by a criminal, well if you were not so morbidly obese, you would not have been such a big target.

I guess you get the point. Good luck with your evil evil nurse.

LOL...funny, but not, I so get you! You need a new MD! I have a new PCP now, one that will actually send me to specialists (and supports me). Old PCP-When I pulled my upper back/shoulder I remember crawling in tears to the car three times in one week because they wouldn't give me new meds unless I came in...I was bedridden for a week (I wasn't in bed that long for my hysterectomy!) and they didn't send me to a PT. They said I needed to lose weight.

Today I actually told the PT about the LB surgery, and asked about how weight loss would improve my problems. She actually downplayed my weight CAUSING this, but she did say excess weight can add to the issues and less weight on the spaces between my spine will help with this some.