Sorry if this is a silly question...

My husband had a microdiscectomy about a month ago. They have him going for physical therapy three times a week. I was just wondering...is that normal? I know everyone is different, but is it really necessary to go that much? It's been two weeks and they aren't even doing much for him yet...just the electro massage therapy. Since he isn't doing anything there, it seems to me that he can heal just as fast at home.

I'm just concerned because sometimes it seems that he's in more pain when he gets home.

If anyone would like to share their experience with pt, it'd be a great help. Just wondering...are there really any benefits?

My daughter hasn't had PT post surgery yet, but she had two rounds of PT prior to surgery. Each time she had PT I was taking her three times a week. I recently broke my wrist and have been in hand therapy and it is also three times a week. So I think that is pretty standard. Her second round of therapy really helped my daughter strengthen her core muscles prior to surgery. The first round also helped to keep her in shape, but didn't do much to relieve her pain. I hope PT helps your husband's recovery. cas

:wave: Hi! PT was one of the best things I ever did for myself...I too went for three days/wk for seven wks. and was begging not to be "kicked out"...having for most of my life always been physically fit and fairly strong, when I injured my back two years ago, I thought i could "work it out" and suffered tremendous pain...pain that would ease over night but by the end of my 3-11 shift would be horrible, almost unbearable. Needing to work, I would just grit my teeth, maybe cry in the car driving home, and eat NSAIDS...I was a mess and finally went to the doctor and told him something's got to be done...he prescribed PT. :) I went from that mess of pain to analyzing how I move, what moves kick in the pain, and what to do to alleviate the pain. I am frankly scared that I will backslide back to that pit, but meanwhile I am continuing to lose weight (in the two yrs. of pain I gained wgt from lack of exercise) am regaining confidence in myself and feel ten years younger...I had forgotten how feeling good can affect all of your being...true PT is more than just applied chiropractical stuff or calisthenics, but a change for life...and the more you embrace it, the better the outcome. Course I had an exceptionally excellant therapist...poor man--at first I resisted almost everything he tried to do for me, I was so rigid in my thinking and my body...
by the end of 7 wks. he could have turned me into a pretzel and I wouldn't have cared...I had learned to relax and zone...something very effective in dealing with stress. Yeah, i recommend PT more than I would recommend a doctor! :)

3 times a week is NOT too much. As long as the therapy is hands on there are things that really help - if not for the long term at least for the short term. Ultra Sound feels great. I also get massage and get evaluated each time for progress. It hasn't helped me much, but it gives me hope, gets me out of the house and allows me to do the exercises under the supervision of a person who can correct me if I'm doing them wrong. It's important to do the exercises right so you will get better faster. I would go more if I could afford it. But your body does need a day to recoup between some treatments. Unfortunately the medical world seems to be shifting to a Mon-Thrus profession so it's hard to get a M-W-F schedule going.

I had a microdiscectomy just over a year ago. My surgeon started me on PT after about 10 weeks. He recommended 2-3x per week for six weeks. I went 2 times, but did the stretches a few other times. After six weeks, I was still very stiff and sore, so he sent me for another 6 weeks - 2-3x per week. About a month after that round was over, I moved wrong in the shower and pulled something in my back. That led to another 6 weeks of P/T - 2-3x per week. I think that that 2-3x per week is just the standard. I found PT to be extremely helpful. However my first round of PT was with a physical therapist who was not the best in the field. ( I didn't realize that until I went to someone else.) My second two rounds were with a phenominal physical therapist who seemed to have the magic touch.

I agree with what everyone has said. I had been going through PT 3 time a week for 6 weeks and yes, I was sore after each session. The therapists (I saw 1 once and another twice a week) that I saw were great. I learned a lot on how to exercise and strengthen my back. Both of them were very hands on and encouraging. I have stopped for now while I am waiting on some more tests, but will be going back.
I wish your Husband all the best,
Tugs

Wish I could go back to PT: my back's still doing ok, but my neck is killing me--I thought at first it was some weird virus, but now i don't know--it's very painful if I turn to left to any degree and makes car driving painful--pain goes up into skull with massive headache on bending and extends into left shoulder--what bugs me most is it's definitely cramping my exercises which are key to keeping my back in shape--this has been going on for a wk now and doesn't seem to be getting better--Unfortunately my doc would just go with muscle relaxors and pain meds, which are not viable with my job....my PT was phenomenal with his hands but alas, HMO insurance is another word for cheapskate insurance! When its muscle skeletal, I am convinced Pt is only way to go... :eek: