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Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: near Allentown, PA
Posts: 209
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: near Allentown, PA
Posts: 209
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ada,
i haven't been on much lately but i have to answer this.....i've been doing aquatic therapy for about 2 months now and i absolutely adore it....i practically had to beat the pain doc over the head with a chair to get the scrip for PT......he's big on drugs and blocks, neither of which have helped me, but has a very negative view of PT.
i'm going to an indoor pool where they do LOTS of PT (3 therapists on staff) and the people who work there r very knowledgeable about rsd.....the pool is heated and usually kept between 88 and 90 degrees, which i can tolerate for about 75 minutes...if i stay in longer than that, i start having muscle spasms in my legs.
since none of the docs seem too sure exactly what's wrong with my feet, the PT is directed at strengthening my legs and feet and improving my balance.....(the therapists think that whether it's rsd spread, peripheral neuropathy, or polyneuropathy, doesn't matter - it's still possible to improve strength and balance).
i still have to use the cane sometimes, especially in a noisy situation - noise destroys my position sense - but my balance is slowly improving and my feet r not as painful as they were 2 months ago.
much of my normal routine in the water involves walking....forward, sideways, 'marching', and backward walking which i can't do yet....also several stretches since my ankle and calf muscles r very tight and weak from not being used.
the best part of the whole thing, tho, as far as i'm concerned is that i feel very safe doing all the exercises.....if i fall, the worst thing that can happen is that i get my hair wet!....since i had some rather spectacular wipe-outs before i started using the cane, i don't consider wet hair much of a problem.
also, the pain diminishes tremendously while i'm in the water...even my left arm, which is my worst spot....yes, the pain comes back, but it's just amazing to have any break from it.
right now, i'm going to the pool for PT twice a week and 2 or 3 other times per week as a 'fitness' member.......since i have almost 2 years before i qualify for the 'senior' fitness rates, it's a bit expensive ($55 a month) but, as my hubby pointed out, we're not paying the deductible or co-pay on Rx's and procedures that accomplish nothing, so we'll manage.
i really think u want to be very cautious about water temps....one day when they were having problems with the heater at the pool, the temp dropped to 82, and i didn't last 20 minutes before i started having muscle spasms (and i don't normally have a problem with spasms).
and for ONCE, the side effects of the treatment r working in my favor: i've lost 7 pounds and i'm a sleeping a little better at night!
i hope u can find soemthing that will work for u.
liz
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