Physical Therapy - a little rant

[Bigtex]

I had total shoulder replacement done almost 9 weeks ago. This was a state of the art surgery where I should recover quicker and be able to return to lifting what I want. The surgeon was a master and I have no complaints. However, he owns the entire medical center including Physical Therapy.

. So, I am a little pissed off with the physical therapy company. They are billing my insurance company for $480 for each visit. I pay a $5 co-pay but when I show up for my appointment, I have to share it with 2-3 other people. So they basically tell me what to do and come back after I am done. Sometimes I have to wait on them to tell me wat to do next. I feel like if they just gave me a list of what to do, I would be better off just doing it at home. I have all the gimmicky shit they use at home and they know it. We even have the silly hand bike at the gym.

Next issue, because of this hurricane we just endured Monday, I have not been able to get any physical therapy this week because they had no power. Plus every red light between here and there is down and traffic is a disaster. No big deal because the gym is open and I can just go a little more. I get a more out of that any way. But yesterday the office calls me and ask me to change my appointment next Friday so those who did not get therapy thsi week could go. HELL NO, I didn't get therapy either. So I told them to just cancel my appointment all together. I guess my needs are not so important so I made it easy for them. Now I have two weeks with no therapy but more time in the gym.

So I am going to have along talk with my surgeon Monday, who is the head of the entire operation and let him know what they are doing. I am also going to drop my therapy to 1 time a week and just spend more time in the gym. I am also going to ask him why I have been in the gym since week #3 and at week #9 I have still not been released to go to the gym. Somehow I think physical therapy is a BIG racket to take as much money from patients (mostly elderly). Hell, remember I am 68 year old too and been in the gyms since I was about 14 years old. I am not going to sit around doing these silly ass flexibility exercises they want me to do until September when I am already doing just about what I want in the gym.

I rehabbed my knee by myself and by GOD I will do my shoulder too if I have to. There are therapy protocols all over the internet and so far I have figured out that much of my ROM problems is not having the strength to move the muscles they cut, The stronger I get the better my ROM. So as I said, the weight room at this point is doing my much more good that physical therapy. Hell, unlike the rest of the patients they have who cry about having to do anything to help themselves, I am using BPC 157, TB 500, HGH and IGF-1 LR3, plus testosterone and deca. I also have EMS, TEMS and ultra sound at home., rubber bands, bouncy balls and broom sticks. This is not really the rocket science they tell me it is.

Anyone else had any issue with going to physical therapy?

 

[3084life]

I feel you. My biggest complaint with every PT is their lack of involvement with the patient. There here do this for 10 minutes while I check my SM is fucking annoying.
As a therapist/trainer they should be watching every single movement and looking for issues or problems. That can't be done from across the room. Best of luck.

 

[5.0]

I had total shoulder replacement done almost 9 weeks ago. This was a state of the art surgery where I should recover quicker and be able to return to lifting what I want. The surgeon was a master and I have no complaints. However, he owns the entire medical center including Physical Therapy.

. So, I am a little pissed off with the physical therapy company. They are billing my insurance company for $480 for each visit. I pay a $5 co-pay but when I show up for my appointment, I have to share it with 2-3 other people. So they basically tell me what to do and come back after I am done. Sometimes I have to wait on them to tell me wat to do next. I feel like if they just gave me a list of what to do, I would be better off just doing it at home. I have all the gimmicky shit they use at home and they know it. We even have the silly hand bike at the gym.

Next issue, because of this hurricane we just endured Monday, I have not been able to get any physical therapy this week because they had no power. Plus every red light between here and there is down and traffic is a disaster. No big deal because the gym is open and I can just go a little more. I get a more out of that any way. But yesterday the office calls me and ask me to change my appointment next Friday so those who did not get therapy thsi week could go. HELL NO, I didn't get therapy either. So I told them to just cancel my appointment all together. I guess my needs are not so important so I made it easy for them. Now I have two weeks with no therapy but more time in the gym.

So I am going to have along talk with my surgeon Monday, who is the head of the entire operation and let him know what they are doing. I am also going to drop my therapy to 1 time a week and just spend more time in the gym. I am also going to ask him why I have been in the gym since week #3 and at week #9 I have still not been released to go to the gym. Somehow I think physical therapy is a BIG racket to take as much money from patients (mostly elderly). Hell, remember I am 68 year old too and been in the gyms since I was about 14 years old. I am not going to sit around doing these silly ass flexibility exercises they want me to do until September when I am already doing just about what I want in the gym.

I rehabbed my knee by myself and by GOD I will do my shoulder too if I have to. There are therapy protocols all over the internet and so far I have figured out that much of my ROM problems is not having the strength to move the muscles they cut, The stronger I get the better my ROM. So as I said, the weight room at this point is doing my much more good that physical therapy. Hell, unlike the rest of the patients they have who cry about having to do anything to help themselves, I am using BPC 157, TB 500, HGH and IGF-1 LR3, plus testosterone and deca. I also have EMS, TEMS and ultra sound at home., rubber bands, bouncy balls and broom sticks. This is not really the rocket science they tell me it is.

Anyone else had any issue with going to physical therapy?

I just went thru the same things a couple months ago. The first visit was one on one for an hr to acces where I was and what my goals were i.e. lifting and golfing. After that it was usually 2 or 3 clients at a time but I had a great therapist who was very attentive to all clients. I went 2x wk for 8 wks and each visit was different as I progressed. Sorry to hear you're not getting the same experience. I started on 2iu daily a wk before operation and was already taking 300mg test. Therapists and my surgeon were surprised with the speedy recovery. Best wishes on healing %100

 

[Tuffoldman]

Everywhere you go physical therapist do the same thing they type in what your surgery was and they print out your exercises they show you how to do it and they go to the next person. I've been to physical therapy several times for different accidents and surgeries and it's the same thing every time you could be doing them completely wrong and you have no idea but they still charge you hundreds of dollars. I don't care if you're paying it out of pocket or you're paying a $5 deductible they're being paid to do a job. I think physical therapy overall is a big scam. Yes they have the schooling but practical use there are probably better personal trainers out there that could do a better job at a fifth of the price.


I would talk to your surgeon and just let him know what you think. May not do any good because he's making $480 a session.

 

[Bigtex]

I asked these therapist what their educational requirements were and believe it or not they are required to have a PhD in exercise science plus the certification. I know sports trainers who have more experience and I would certainly trust more to do rehab. I am very disgusted with the service I am getting and for now don't know if I will continue. They called me a few minutes ago and asked me if I would like to come in tomorrow and I said NO. I am going to the damn gym tomorrow. Just saw my family doctor and he encouraged me to at least go once a week. I may consider that. But he did agree that booking 2-3 clients at the same time with one therapist was wrong.

 

[Wallyd]

I’ve been going to pt for my shoulder & I can say that it’s planned out to where on your initial visit you get 1 on 1 care.

Ffwd through the weeks & you can see a pattern. They will get you started & then welcome in the next victim while an assistant puts you through the exercises listed on a computer screen that list what you did the following week. It got to the point I would just go through the routine & they would ask “have you done ….. yet?” because they were too busy being double booked.

I actually hurt worse after pt if I’m being honest. One time he hooked the taser up to me & was talking to another patient at the same time. I was saying “easy, easy “ as he cranked the dial. I was loud enough for the secretary to hear me & comment about it. I think he was about a 1/4 turn away from me pissing myself!!

 

[Paramuscle]

I feel you bro, I have had 13 surgeries and every time they ask me to go to PT I refuse. I went the first couple of times because the govt wouldn't approve the first surgeries until I did that but after that, I realized what a waste it was and stopped. PT is great imo if you're old or something but for me, it was a waste of time. I can roll a ball against the wall on my own. To me, PT is one of the biggest scams the healthcare industry perpetrate on us.



~PM

 

[jipped genes]

Bro you can pick your PT place as long as it is in network. Docs send people to PT places they get kickbacks from. I switched as I was just like you. In a cattle car of people. I found one a little closer and I got 1 on 1 attention.

Call around and check and see if they take your insurance.

 

[Bigtex]

Thanks a lot for all of these replies. Seems we all pretty much agree on this subject. I went into this PT stuff with a negative attitude but decided to give them a fair chance and went. The 1st couple of times they spent 100% of the time with me. After the 1st week I was almost on my own, spending a lot of time waiting on someone to tell me what to do next. I am doing front raises with PVC, hell I do DB front raises with 12.5lbs in the gym already. PVC presses, I just used the Hammer strength plate loaded bench press with 10lbs and did fine. Much better ROM than the PVC. Using balls to do isometrics, totally worthless exercise. You get stronger in that position and it does not transfer to the full ROM. Using a pully system to stretch.....I can use a broom stick at homme and do the same thing. I am honestly starting to agree with you guys that this is a huge scam to rip off insurance companies. Then they keep telling me not to go to the gym because I am not ready? Its been almost 9 weeks now. WTF. I have been in the gym since week #3. These people called me 2 times yesterday trying to get me to re-schedule for next week. I refused. I guess they need the money more that I need the PT. I asked them more than once, what is the projected time line to be released. So they told me early September. So I work my ass off and they keep me here milking money from insurance and insist that I don't go to the gym. Damn, that ends up being over $15K when honestly I could easily do this my self. They are use to dealing with people who could care a less what it cost insurance, I wanted to get this shit done very quickly and move on.

 

[Wilson6]

Thanks a lot for all of these replies. Seems we all pretty much agree on this subject. I went into this PT stuff with a negative attitude but decided to give them a fair chance and went. The 1st couple of times they spent 100% of the time with me. After the 1st week I was almost on my own, spending a lot of time waiting on someone to tell me what to do next. I am doing front raises with PVC, hell I do DB front raises with 12.5lbs in the gym already. PVC presses, I just used the Hammer strength plate loaded bench press with 10lbs and did fine. Much better ROM than the PVC. Using balls to do isometrics, totally worthless exercise. You get stronger in that position and it does not transfer to the full ROM. Using a pully system to stretch.....I can use a broom stick at homme and do the same thing. I am honestly starting to agree with you guys that this is a huge scam to rip off insurance companies. Then they keep telling me not to go to the gym because I am not ready? Its been almost 9 weeks now. WTF. I have been in the gym since week #3. These people called me 2 times yesterday trying to get me to re-schedule for next week. I refused. I guess they need the money more that I need the PT. I asked them more than once, what is the projected time line to be released. So they told me early September. So I work my ass off and they keep me here milking money from insurance and insist that I don't go to the gym. Damn, that ends up being over $15K when honestly I could easily do this my self. They are use to dealing with people who could care a less what it cost insurance, I wanted to get this shit done very quickly and move on.

They are required to have a PhD in PT, not Ex Phys. I used to teach an Ex Phys course to the PT students, they were clueless. I don't trust any PT with a neck size less than 16" or a female that isn't a PL or OL. After my rTSA, I did 3 total PT sessions with a guy that was part of the shoulder specialized program, a powerlifter, certified SC coach and worked with both pro MLB and football teams. He gave me 2 weeks of things to do in the gym, and I followed up every two weeks. After 6 weeks I was pretty much back to full workouts with modifications and very light. Started doing legs 2 weeks post surgery. These are $$$ programs. The longer you're in the more they make. Going to the gym is your choice, if you know your body and limitations, you'll be fine. Sure, always a chance of fucking something up, but unlikely. If you can do it yourself, do it yourself. One of the big shoulder programs at a major institution wanted me in the hospital for 2 -3 days after surgery, then rehab 3x/wk, in a sling for 6 weeks, no weights for 12 weeks. Went to another surgeon that was a former BB and recommended VAR and GH for post op rehab. I was out of the sling in 1 week doing pulley work and band work in the garage, in the gym in 2, doing resistance work with the rTSA side at 4 weeks, pretty much to full ROM by 6 - 8 weeks and doing things they said I'd never be able to do again ever, at 12 weeks. Right and left side are nearly the same strength wise. If you were 90 yrs old and sedentary, sure I could see using more extensive PT.

 

[Bigtex]

They are required to have a PhD in PT, not Ex Phys. I used to teach an Ex Phys course to the PT students, they were clueless. I don't trust any PT with a neck size less than 16" or a female that isn't a PL or OL. After my rTSA, I did 3 total PT sessions with a guy that was part of the shoulder specialized program, a powerlifter, certified SC coach and worked with both pro MLB and football teams. He gave me 2 weeks of things to do in the gym, and I followed up every two weeks. After 6 weeks I was pretty much back to full workouts with modifications and very light. Started doing legs 2 weeks post surgery. These are $$$ programs. The longer you're in the more they make. Going to the gym is your choice, if you know your body and limitations, you'll be fine. Sure, always a chance of fucking something up, but unlikely. If you can do it yourself, do it yourself. One of the big shoulder programs at a major institution wanted me in the hospital for 2 -3 days after surgery, then rehab 3x/wk, in a sling for 6 weeks, no weights for 12 weeks. Went to another surgeon that was a former BB and recommended VAR and GH for post op rehab. I was out of the sling in 1 week doing pulley work and band work in the garage, in the gym in 2, doing resistance work with the rTSA side at 4 weeks, pretty much to full ROM by 6 - 8 weeks and doing things they said I'd never be able to do again ever, at 12 weeks. Right and left side are nearly the same strength wise. If you were 90 yrs old and sedentary, sure I could see using more extensive PT.

Exactly here I am. At week number 6, I was back to my normal bro split working one body part per day 6 set of 10 reps. Just lighter weigh on the repaired side but every week I am adding weight. Hell I have been doing lat pulldowns for two week which I could not do before surgery because of the pain. These people got testy with me because I put the damn sling away after week 2. Hell I couldn't sleep. ALL of the patients in this very busy PT clinic are 70+ and in horrible shape because they are inactive. I am not sure any of them really want to get better, just hang out and complain about how bad everything hurts. In 4 weeks or less I will be back to 100% on my own, so I see little need to do isometrics and play with balls and pulleys. I want to get back to 100%, big difference. They don't even push me to accomplish this and instead seem to want to keep me there as long as my insurance keeps paying.

My time as an athlete we had to see the trainer when we had injuries. Most of us went because you could just hang out and socialize. I never felt like it was doing much good though. Never been to a PT and did rehab of my detached quads myself. This shit is not rocket science and you will never get back to 100% if you don't get off your ass and get back to the gym.

 

[Therealkiller]

PT is hit and miss, usually a miss. Over the years with insurance (yes, the billing rate for the gel ice pack that people use in the office for 15 minutes over their clothes is $50 or something...), as it has been said, PT is not one-on-one anymore unless you get really lucky with a place in your area. Most PTs can help a sedentary, not entirely motivated person recover (kinda like a majority of people wanting personal training), which is also a majority of their patients. I did an internship with a PT clinic way back ('95) and it was one-on-one, but as I said, mostly older patients and it was boring AF (working with frozen shoulders are so much fun ) and I knew I did now want to be a PT in a setting like that. Clinics do exist that cater more to active people and athletes with some of their PTs also holding CSCS (certified strength and conditioning) possibly ATC (certified atheltic trainer) and are really good, but hard to find and will be be in big metro areas. I spoke with one who was part of the research for high hamstring strains and eccentric exercise and he was the shit.

If you have someone to give you passive range of motion, then you can just do therapy at home. I mean, ultrasound is great, but not at 2x a week. If you do not have anyone, get the PROM and then do the rest on your own.

Wilson6 - Nice!!!

Bigtex - you didn't have good atheltic trainers or they were severaly understaffed which is the case many of the times.