Stretching

This is the second week I've been attending physical therapy and I'm pleased with the progress. Part of my physical issue is the extreme pain and misalignment in my lower back and hips, especially after my fall the week prior to the knee surgery. I have arthritis from head to toe, but it was exacerbated in my lower back/hips by the failure to treat the medical issues in my knee by the physicians from whom I sought help. After a year of limping and trying every way I knew not to put my right foot on the ground, my body reacted by realigning itself to cope with the injuries.

For 2 weeks, my therapist has concentrated on stretching and realigning my back, both of which are in the category of "good hurt." The stretching of my legs is necessary because the muscles have contracted over the past year, but the result of the PT is spasms, especially the "charlie horses" in my feet and toes that come in the night while my body is relaxing. They are lessening, so I am confident that at the end of the next 2 weeks, the charlies horses will be minimal, if not gone altogether.

Realigning my hips and spine takes tremendous pressure by the therapist as he manipulates my vertebrae. We begin this phase with my face in a pillow; with the therapist's hands firmly pressed in the middle of my spine, I lift my upper body while keeping my lower body against the mat. At first, I could barely move, but yesterday I was able to really lift my upper body, and it felt so good! He worked from the lowest lumbar to the cervical yesterday and, for the first time in months, my lower back/hips allowed me to move freely through the rest of the day.

There is still a lot of pain at the surgery site in my knee, as well as bruising, which I do not remember from previous knee surgeries. Some days I have to take a pain pill, but I've tried to stay away from them because they fog my brain and give me horrendous nightmares. I'm still walking the dogs each day, varying the distance and the route to challenge myself. We are up to a full half-hour of walking, but do not do that every day ... yet.

My empathy for those who deal with ongoing injuries/pain has increased in the past few months as I have accommodated my lifestyle to my physical limitations. I am fortunate that it's only one knee and associated back/hip issues, while so many other people have so much more to handle. I may have 2 additional surgeries in my future, but the prognosis is complete recovery. For me, it's one day at a time, with a definite goal of overcoming this circumstance; for others, it's one day at a time, with no optimism at the end of the day. Believe me, I know how fortunate I am.