He walked into my clinic, “I do not wish to undergo surgery for my knee pain. They say, I’m medically not fit also, to undergo surgery. Can physiotherapy help?”
“Okay sir, let me evaluate, what’s possible to achieve.”
We went through the list of problems, which this 70 years old was facing, evaluated the history in detail, physically examined him and then went through his available investigation reports.
Everything seemed quite conducive to start a physiotherapy program, except that his heart function reports were below safety limits and he had a very sedentary lifestyle.
“Sir, we cannot start with your program at the clinic. The effort of travelling, exercising and then getting back home is much beyond than what your heart can tolerate.”
“So, can I start it at home?”
“Yes, that seems to be an obvious option, but with a lengthier timeline to achieve realistically possible goals. However, before we do so, please report to your doctor for your cardiac follow-up, which is due for more than 2 months now. It will help me fine-tune the safety limits of my therapeutic program for you Sir.”
“What if the doctor says not to undergo exercises right now?”
“Yes, that is possible. The dose and design of therapeutic exercises are implemented on weak muscle groups, putting a load on their existing state of functioning, secondarily straining body systems like heart, lungs and kidneys. So, if your doctor concludes that your health is not safe enough to undergo such a regime, he or she may ask you to not undergo physiotherapy.
“But I’m tired of this pain. Can we start very simple exercises at home?”
“As I said, given your present health situation, your safety during each therapeutic physio session has an unchallenged priority over your expectation of pain relief in future. So, you can share with me reports of any further investigations prescribed by your doctor. You can connect with me over a call, to tell me what your doctor’s opinion was. Within available possibilities, a safe therapeutic program can be designed, which, again for your physiological safety reasons, will also be shared with your doctor. Further to his or her inputs on the same, you may decide to undergo the program Sir.”
Looking for an opinion for a safe physiotherapy program, for recurrent knee pain? Connect for clinic, home or online appointments with licensed physiotherapists, at Start Exercises Club, from anywhere in India, today.
Start Exercises Club’s network of independently practicing physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prosthetic and orthotic specialists is spread across more than sixty pincode locations in India.
(*Illustrative image created with Google Gemini)
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