Physical Therapy

Last week at my annual physical exam, I mentioned to my doctor that my back had been bothering me on and off all summer. He recommended physical therapy. I was all skeptical, thinking of electrode-stuff and twice a week foraboutever. Then he said, “I think you will get some educational value out of it.”

That got my attention. So I went. Here is what I learned:

1. There are about a million different kinds of pain that I haven’t even dreamed of yet.
2. My muscles are “weak” where I didn’t even know I had muscles.
3. I am “too flexible”.

“Too flexible?” I asked. “How can you be too flexible?”

“You know,“ physical therapist said. “Like Gumby.”

“Gumby didn’t have bones!”

As best as I could put together, “too flexible” is relative to the strength of the muscles that support the joints.

So it seems I have some exercising to do. And then PT says that she can feel a really tight spot in my lower back. She wants to do Ultrasound Therapy. And I let her.

Six hours later, I thought I was going to die. I dragged myself into the bathroom like Quasimodo trying to find my Advil. I feel somewhat better now.

Exercise, good. Not touching OtherTherapy again.