Any physical therapists on the DIS?

[ead79]

I have a question for you. Sorry this is a little long, but I figure the more information the better.

I have a problem with my ankles (my right one bothers me more than my left, but they both have problems). According to my doctor, the muscles in my ankles are just weak for some reason. Essentially, when I stand and/or walk for long periods of time (like at WDW or shopping at the mall) my ankles freeze up and won’t bend well and really hurt. The first time this happened was our honeymoon and I thought I had just sprained my ankle or something. After it happened a couple more times, I went to my doctor who referred me to a PT.

The first time I had about 4 PT sessions and was given stretches to do at home. It helped some, but not a lot. When it kept bothering me (but I have to be honest and admit that I quit doing the stretches), I got another referral to return to physical therapy. This time I had about 6 – 8 sessions. They helped a good bit. However, when I went the last time the head PT saw me. He asked me how I was doing and I said I was able to shop at the mall for about 4 hours and my ankles held up. He then wrote on my chart that my long term goal was achieved and that he would follow up in a week. Well, apparently he thinks I’m healed. I’ve been bad and not kept up with the stretches, but I feel like I was left out in the cold so to speak. My insurance will cover 60 sessions per year, so I’m wondering why I keep getting so few sessions.

Can I expect good improvement if I resume the stretches and theraband exercises, or should I request that my doctor refer me to another PT office? I also wear orthotic inserts (that I purchased from REI) which seem to help when I wear my tennis shoes. If it makes a difference, some of my problems stem from being extremely flat footed (which I know they can’t help) and from having some minor odd deformities in my food.

What can I expect and what should I do? My ankles bother me on a consistent basis, and I guess I’m wondering if I just have to live with this. Will the stretches help without returning to the PT?

 

[ead79]

bump

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Have you tried spelling the ABC's with your feet?

This will help strengthen ankles and shin muscles.

You right out all 26 letters with each foot in any format (can be manuscript or cursive and upper or lower case).

Not a PT--but recommended to me several times and by our coaches on our marathon training team for weak ankles and shin problems.

I have been several times for mulitple issues. I don't like the corporate owned ones--they seem to boot you out the moment you seem to have reached your goal even though you could use a bit more therapy. I like the private practices much better and the therapists who like to use manual therapy in addition to other physical therapies. They will work with you until you are consistent at your goal. So you would have to be on your feet for a week or two with several successful days of standing or walking with no problems.

Sounds like your therapist is not getting you to a point where you can maintain. On paper you can--b/c you got to the goal..but in reality you can't and your ankles aren't holding up long term.

So I would definitely go back--perhaps find a new therapist at a private practice that isn't into crunching through patients like they are a drive thru (not saying yours does this, but many do).

And refuse to be discharged until YOU are satisfied you have reached the goal of therapy.

You may also wish to see a podiatrist (be careful as they will try to push inserts!) and find out what any other anatomical weaknesses are so that your PT can work on either strengthening the weaknesses--or strenghtening an area that might be overcompensating for those weaknesses!

I used to have very weak ankles and from what little tidbits I have heard and different things I do now--my ankles are a whole lot stronger than in years past.

Other things that I do: I very carefully weigh each and every shoe purchase. My foot anatomy can no longer tolerate "cheap" shoes that are cute. No more wal-mart, payless or target for me. Instead of 20 pairs of ten dollar shoes....I'd rather have 3 or 4 pair of well made, well supporting, good looking, shoes.

Check your sneakers--do you find that the inner wall is "collapsed" after a month or two of wear and tear! This used to be me with every single sneaker I ever owned. The running shoes I use now--are motion control shoes and are the first shoes ever that I have owned and wear a lot--that the wall is not collapsed when the shoe is ready to retire.

Good luck!

Again--not a PT, but lots of knowledgable friends and a bit of "been there, done that" syndrome. Always hated when my ankles would cause me to stumble--when there wasn't anything around that would trip a clumsy person let alone a normal person. I haven't had one of those episodes in a long while.

 

[Saphire]

Hi Elisabeth,
The theory with PT is that once your goal is reached, you no longer need to be seen. However, usually there is a home exercise program given that you must follow up with. If you are faithful with the program, meaning if you continue to stretch and strengthen the area around the ankle and lower leg, you should maintain your good results. I realize that most exercise is tedious and boring, but there really is no other way to reduce your weakness. A 45 minute session with a PT twice a week just isn't going to do it, you must follow through on your own at home, too. My suggestion to you would be to give it a month. Do your exercises faithfully during that time. If you see little improvement, tell your doctor. I am positive he/she would give you another prescription to go back to therapy, or do further studies on why it is not working and what else could be going on. Best wishes.