A Time For Everything

Image courtesy IMGBIN.

After receiving my diagnosis of bursitis back in February, I was prescribed physical therapy...one of the adductor muscles on my left side was super tight. In addition to that, I needed exercises to increase flexibility and strength in my lower back & hips.

A lot of what I had to do was similar in nature to yoga, so it wasn't anything I didn't know or couldn't handle. I contemplated canceling my final appointment, but stuck with it just in case there was some final bump I could take advantage of. There wasn't.

The lesson there: trust my body and my instincts.

I also took advantage of a virtual physical therapy program called Hinge Health paid for by my health insurance company. And might possibly be covered by yours. Check it out if you have aches and pains and see if it could be of use to you.

Anywho-- I received a free kit containing a stand for my tablet, a couple of sensors, and some resistance bands. In addition to that, you're paired up with an actual coach who'll interact with you and answer questions. I was skeptical about that coach at first, but I never received canned auto responses and came to realize it was an actual person on the other end.

As for the PT, all you have to do is download the app onto your phone or tablet and do your prescribed routine two to three times per week. I actually use my Hinge Health exercises as warmup for my other regular workouts, so I'm doing them six to seven times a week.

Image courtesy of Hinge Health.

And it turns out that HH offers therapy programs for many different body parts/joints as well as another therapy track of interest...women's care for pelvic floor issues. Pelvic disorders are more prevalent during various times in women's lives, including menopause--in which I'm firmly in the middle of. Something to keep in my back pocket should issues arise. :0)

I recently attended the follow-up appointment with the orthopedic doc who was pleased by my progress and thinks we can get me to a state of no pain. On the other hand, all he did was prescribe another couple of rounds of Celebrex and increase the reps of a certain exercise and ask me to schedule yet another follow up in two months.

I'm strongly considering canceling that appointment because A) according to the front desk lady, I need to get my referral re-issued--which I had to do in the first place because it was issued for the wrong body part, so I'm not sure why I have to do it again... And B) why do I need to pay another $80 co-pay for the same appointment results? I'll make a determination the closer I get.

The lesson here: trust my body and my instincts.

I've been told by both the physical therapist and the HH coach that I seem very in tune with my body, so gonna stick with trusting myself.

But it was a useful exercise and my adductor muscle is definitely looser / better than it was in the beginning, so as long as I continue with the Hinge Health in the morning and the physical therapy in the evenings--and yes, I do take days off (Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings)--I should be back to normal-ish in another month or two or three.

Then I can move onto solving the next issue. :0)

Have a great weekend.