What to expect from physio please

[BadKitten]

I'm being referred for physio for my sacro-illitis (lower back pain due to arthritis) to see if it helps. Unfortunately i can't drive at the moment. After a session will I be ok to walk? unfortunately walking is one of the worst antagonisers for my back and when its bad I can only hobble. I don't have much choice really.

Also, is the right sort of thing to wear joggers and a t-shirt?

thanks.

hi, i had physio for scoliosis related pain so i imagine my treatment will have been different.

do wear something loose.

i received some deep tissue massage and exercises to do at home. i actually felt worse immediatly after the sessions but in the long run she really sorted me out.

good luck - back pain is an utter misery.

Thanks Goat - perhaps I ought to see if a friend or taxi can take me back then. I'm hoping it helps otherwise the gp has suggested that the rheummy might want to do steroid injections or put me on to more potent medication. I'm glad it helped for you.

Hi, I had 8 months of physio - massage, exercises at home and traction in 2006 I have 2 prolapsed discs and osteoarthritis in my lower back. Personally I think people respond to physio in different ways I experienced some benefit straight after the physio and for the next few days but for me the benefit was never long term/permanent in the end the physio discharged me so she could move on to someone she could 'cure' her words not mine.

A year ago this week I had 6 steroid injections and an epidural in my lower back which really did help to reduce my pain, they are not a cure and the benefit is starting to wear off now as I'm taking more painkillers. I was lucky as these do not work for everybody. It seems back pain treatment is rather hit and miss.

Good luck and best wishes with your physio as I said everybodies different and it may workout really well for you - keeping my fingers crossed.

thank you
It sounds like you've had a really bad time of it. This is my first prolonged bout and I know that others have a much worse time of it.
I'm not sure how long I'm going to have to wait til my first appt - Dr thought it would be about 6 weeks. Shes trying me on a different anti-inflammatory in the mean time so we'll if that helps.

Hi That's ok, happy to help I have a friend whose back pain is a lot worse than mine but still works(long story involving a husband whose not very sympathetic). I used to get episodes where I would get back pain but after a few weeks it would go then approx 3 years ago I was bending over the sink washing my hair when it went again and stayed like it.

Back pain can be really crippling and debilitating and only the person suffering really knows how bad it is. Your most probably having just as bad a time as me, please don't dismiss your own problems. I was very lucky as I only waited weeks for first appt as I saw a physio at my GP's surgery the waiting list at my local hospital is months.

Good luck with the anti-inflammatories I can not take them because of other health problems/medication.

Hi Badkitten. I'm a physio (well was BC ).

You may be sore after the initial assessment. Your physio will need to do an examination, and some of the tests might aggravate your symptoms. However, before your examination you'll have about 15-20 mins of just talking to the the physio, and answering some Q's, you should let the physio know that your symptoms are quite irritable (ie provoked easily) and they should temper the exam to reflect this.

Wear clean bra, big pants (you will need to bend over) and take a baggy pair of shorts if you like. Your physio will need to see your whole back so be prepared to strip down to your undies. Oh and wash your feet too, they look at your feet and do some sensation tests on them.

hth

Im a physio as well. just to re-it what slubber has said, and that you may be sore after initial assessment (usually about 40 mins). Do you have pain relief at home if required?

I just wanted to make it clear that I do not blame the physio when I made the comment in my previous post about being discharged in fact I saw the same lady for 8 months and she was brilliant but I never really got anywhere long term so in a sense I was wasting her time and mine. I guess I'm just very good at messing up NHS statistics with all my chronic illnesses. I was on a vey long waiting list when I needed my injections so my local NHS hospital ended up sending me to a private hospital at their expense. I saw a consultant within 3 weeks the same one I had been waiting over 6 months to see on the NHS.

The previous posts summed up my first appt very well.

Thanks Slubber and Denny That is exactly what I need to know! I had no idea about the feet bit!
I have diclofenac and paracetemol. Just moved over from celebrex which wasn't very effective. Should I take my tablets as normal before hand or would they prefer to see it as it is unmedicated?

morgansauntie - I feel that way sometimes too - I seem to be quite talented at getting complications. I think thats partly cos of being young (for these conditions).
I am really looking forward to my appt and the chance to be properly assessed and hopefully helped. The gp and the rheumy can diagnose and medicate but I'd really like to learn to help myself.