just wanted to chime in since my PT has me doing rib mobilization and the foam roller stuff too.

anyways, those docs at the tos consortium well, they don't necessarily know a good PT either. one that i went to just told me to call up the physical therapy department of the hospital. gee thanks. they don't even know what tos is ya know down in that physical therapy department, lol.

anyways..... yes, you have to be careful. it seems the physical therpaists will always think they know more than you. and it sucks because they do know more than you in some ways but in other ways, they don't!

Good luck in your recovery!

Yes, i agree that some ofthe Dr.s are not informed and do not see PT being a vital part of the process. I asked if they could recommend anyone in the DC or No. VA area and i was just handed a PT procotol and told "anyone" could follow it. Hopkins is only an hour or so outside of DC and there is not one person on their rolodex? Suggestions for a DO, massage, accupunture, PT,etc - it's all a marketing tool on their web site. You go in thinking you are under an "umbrella" of care, but bascially have to manage it on your own. Very little thinking outside of the box. Irresponsibly handed a piece of paper and hey, maybe you'll be lucky and get better on own!

Unfortunately, it's not as easy as that, just bec you have the protocol does not mean anyone can follow it. I showed the detailed daily notes that James had written at Ando's to my local PT and honestly she couldn't do what they did for me, it just felt very different, and not so right.

I am looking for a local PT here in the Bay area who can implement Ando's protocol, it's not going to be easy, I know that. Good luck to everyone, keep looking for the one that works for you, and if it doesn't work, like Jo Mar said move on ....Ando said two weeks should be enough for you to know if it works or not, sometimes you don't even want to wait that long, just listen to your gut. Pain does not always mean "Gain".

a doctor that hands you a paper that says

"physical therapy - thoracic outlet syndrome"

save the 300 bucks and go direct to the quack pt and just write that on your own letterhead. haha

From the #1 rated hospital - big surprise to me, especially after I waited 5 mos for an apt. I could have spent that 5 mos getting some kind of care and pain relief which during that time my symptoms progressively got worse.

[RANT]
This is my main beef with teaching hospitals and why I went with a surgeon in private practice vs one at a University. Not only do they make you wait...then wait some more. They also have residents assisting who have no idea what they are doing in regards to complex syndromes.
[/RANT]

I think the key to finding someone who can treat TOS is someone who can do the rib mobilization (not just 1st rib). If they don't have this training/skill they can't follow the proper TOS treatment protocol.

I think you could discover this in a single visit to a PT as evaluation of the ribs should done on the first visit for TOS patients. Many PTs simply don't have this skill. Any PT that tries to mobilize the thoracic spine by trying to mobilize the thoracic vertebra instead of the ribs is the wrong PT for us.

I agree, it has been painfully slow. My apt with PM had never been sceduled, nor my botox injection. I had to call last week and "raise the roof" because i had just gotten lost in the shuffle. I "applied" for an apt in March, and 7 months later - no pain mgt or botox so i can begin PT. I am more than frustrated and am in the search for another specialist. If they are supposedly the "best" then all of us TOSers are in serious trouble!