Hi Lynnie,

I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling good and really hope that the PT goes well for you and that you see some improvements!!!

I have been in PT since about a week after my injury (ankle sprain) that lead to RSD.

For the first 5 months, the PTs didn't know anything about RSD and didn't know that I had it even though I had all of the obvious symptoms. It was only when I was diagnosed that I went to see some PTs that had treated RSD before and knew what sort of things to do.

I have also been onto two intense Physical Therapy Programs at Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital in London. The first one lasted 3 weeks and they got me walking short distances again (I was wheelchair bound before that) however the pain, Dystonia and other symptoms didn't go away so the PT's told me that I had to go back for another 2 weeks a month later.

The second PT Program didn't help at all as the PT's there didn't really know what to do about the Dystonia in my RSD leg. The leading PT wasn't there so it was left to other PTs who didn't have enough experience to deal with RSD and the additional complication of the Dystonia.

The PTs want me to go back to London again soon for more intense PT but i'm not sure if I want to go. They want to cast my leg and it is something that I really dont want to do as I had my leg casted before and it made me worse and i've read so many horror stories about it.

I go to PT at my local childrens hospital once a week now and have to do exercises at home on a daily basis. The PT's mainly focus on weight bearing exercises and try to get my leg into a normal position (it is currently severely rotated to the side). I have also had a splint made for my leg so they try and get my foot into a normal position using that.

I think what you focus on in PT is different for everyone depending on how severe your RSD is, where you have it etc. Different PTs seem to have different ideas as to what might help and what wont (in my experience anyway). I'm not going to lie to you and say that the PT is easy, it isn't at all but I know that I have to keep moving as much as possible and hopefully it will help me in the long run.

I really hope that the PT will help you and please keep us posted!! Make sure that the PT's know about RSD also and don't let them push you too much - you need to be pushed but at the same time, don't want to make things any worse!!

Thinking about you!