- Name: Curtis
- Age: 50s
- Pain point: Back
- Outcome:
Returned to trail running and sitting without pain.
Curtis’ Story
How long did you wait before deciding on physical therapy and what was the obstacle?
I waited probably two or three weeks because I thought it would just go away on its own but it didn’t. I took Ibuprofen, I tried the heat patches that you put on, I tried the deep penetrating ointments that you put on – a eucalyptus type thing. It gives you some temporary relief to get through the day but the next day, I was right back where I started.
What was it and how bad was your problem prior to receiving physical therapy?
I worked under the stairs at home on a Saturday. I was under there quite a while, a lot of twisting in positions I wouldn’t normally be in, trying to fix some things. That was on Saturday, then on Monday it showed up. I think that’s what caused it. I tweaked something and didn’t know it.
What was your pain preventing you from doing?
It was very difficult to put socks on or underwear, getting in or out of the car, pretty much anything. It was very painful all the time.
What would you say to someone who was experiencing pain but skeptical about physical therapy?
I would say, go in sooner than later because I suffered longer than I needed to, for sure. It’s a combination of what you do in the office and what you do at home. I think a lot of the success is because of what you do at home. I think if you come in and do the appointments only, you’ll have some success but it will take longer.
Out of all the things that you enjoyed about coming to Preferred Physical Therapy, what did you enjoy the most?
For me, it was really good to get the education. So that I knew what I was working on and why. That way when I was doing things at home, I understood this is why I am doing what I’m doing and it’s going to benefit me. It helped motivate me to keep doing [the exercises] at home. And everybody is friendly here and warm. It actually got to where I looked forward to coming.
What were you wanting to achieve and did we help you to achieve it?
I wanted to be pain free as soon as possible, they definitely helped with that and I wanted an education. I wanted to know what happened, why, and how to avoid it in the future and I got all of that!
What to Watch Out For:
- Leaning forward
- Baths
- Sitting still