when my friend did his knee surgery & rehab, neither pain meds alone nor anti-inflammatory meds were allowed before therapy. he asked to have them but was told NO, and was told WHY NOT:

1. the levels of pain / inflammation were used as therapeutic guides as to what the body could reasonably deal with at that time. movements were done gradually so as to be able to STOP in case anything began to cause excessive pain (see 2.)

2. In case of an increase in pain movements were NOT pushed to severe/intolerable pain requiring medication. The therapy was personalized and graduated to suit the needs and tolerance of the pt in that regard. (MarySue would NOT have been made to touch her butt with her heel if that caused her pain that would require meds! )

Now, i cannot remember what kind of surgery my friend had i just know he messed up his knee bad and surgery was not "optional" - his knee was totally KO after the fall but i don't know if he had full a replacement. So maybe for replacements rehab is different. I just can't help thinking though, that artificial parts per se do not hurt. It is still our own tendons that hurt, where they new stuff is attached! So i don't understand why the philosophy applied in my friend's case wouldn't apply just the same.

I have a concern that if they medicate MarySue there is a risk of doing damage because they won't even have the pain as a warning sign! this is all very confusing to me. i really hope MarySue will be ok. it sounds very scary. It sounds like the docs in one part of the country do things opposite of how they do things another part of the country.

~ waves ~