Do I really need to go?

[spedrunner]

I have been going to physical therapy for the past two months for a hamstring injury and a glute injury I have seen in ortho and they have both told me that it is just scar tissue that is healing and I need to just continue stretching and rehabbing it it has been extremely painful and uncomfortable and I haven't been able to run for the past 2 to 3 months

Quite honestly I don't feel that physical therapy is really doing much for me feeling better I feel pretty much the same

The exercises are fairly simple and I know what I need to do I understand it's just a matter of time

Do I really need to continue going to therapy three times a week it is so time-consuming and it's making me miserable

[ebeth]

no. I don't think so. I stop going to PT once I know the exercises. I had a $25 copay per visit and it was always hard to find the time to go.

[cinco]

I wouldn't keep going. I went a month for a running injury, and then just did exercises on my own. If it starts bothering me again I add in extra PT exercises and it seems to be good to go.

[spedrunner]

This is exactly what I've been thinking I mean there is nothing that I can not do at home that I can do there

[Deleted]

Nah. I did 4 weeks and at the end they taught me exercises and I was on my way. There was nothing else they could do for me.

[clseale]

Are you healed and scar tissue is causing issues? Or are you healing, and therefore, scar tissue is forming? It wasn't until I was almost fully healed, that my PT did Graston and ART for the scar tissue that had formed through my healing.

With that being said, I have no idea what your PT will do, versus what mine did. There's probably no harm in working at home for a bit, and then revisiting things if you're really not seeing results.

ETA: There is a point when they can't help you anymore. I still had pain, but I measured high (much higher than when I started) on their strength and flexibility tests. They kicked me out, and I continued on my own. Now when i start having pain, doing the exercises and stretches on my own, does the trick. 

[Susie]

I have never had so many PT visits approved by insurance that this was a question. I'm usually stretching them out to no more than 1x a week so I can still have covered visits left as I get toward the end of rehab.

PT is expensive. I'd definitely cut back from 3x/week, if not stop going altogether.

[venice2007]

Mar 13, 2014 14:06:46 GMT -5 clseale said:

Are you healed and scar tissue is causing issues? Or are you healing, and therefore, scar tissue is forming? It wasn't until I was almost fully healed, that my PT did Graston and ART for the scar tissue that had formed through my healing.

With that being said, I have no idea what your PT will do, versus what mine did. There's probably no harm in working at home for a bit, and then revisiting things if you're really not seeing results.

ETA: There is a point when they can't help you anymore. I still had pain, but I measured high (much higher than when I started) on their strength and flexibility tests. They kicked me out, and I continued on my own. Now when i start having pain, doing the exercises and stretches on my own, does the trick. 

This was my exact experience too. After the strengthening and healing the art and graston helped tremendously!

[hannahb]

I'm a PT. High hamstring injuries can take a LONG time. If you feel it's slowly getting better you can Definately do the exercises on your own. I would go one last time and talk to your therapist about it. If you have been going for 2 months and aren't getting any better then I would seek out other treatment. Are they treating your pelvic alignment? This is pretty common with hamstring injuries. Also some hamstring injuries get worse with aggressive stretching (due to the nerves in the area). You aren't getting any burning or numb sensation are you? Again, these are things I would bring up with your PT if they haven't come up already

[spedrunner]

Mar 13, 2014 14:06:46 GMT -5 clseale said:

Are you healed and scar tissue is causing issues? Or are you healing, and therefore, scar tissue is forming? It wasn't until I was almost fully healed, that my PT did Graston and ART for the scar tissue that had formed through my healing.

With that being said, I have no idea what your PT will do, versus what mine did. There's probably no harm in working at home for a bit, and then revisiting things if you're really not seeing results.

ETA: There is a point when they can't help you anymore. I still had pain, but I measured high (much higher than when I started) on their strength and flexibility tests. They kicked me out, and I continued on my own. Now when i start having pain, doing the exercises and stretches on my own, does the trick. 

this is such a great question!

They think my injury has healed and the scar tissue formed.  I am still in pain

What is Graston and ART?

[spedrunner]

Mar 13, 2014 18:10:14 GMT -5 hannahb said:

I'm a PT. High hamstring injuries can take a LONG time. If you feel it's slowly getting better you can Definately do the exercises on your own. I would go one last time and talk to your therapist about it. If you have been going for 2 months and aren't getting any better then I would seek out other treatment. Are they treating your pelvic alignment? This is pretty common with hamstring injuries. Also some hamstring injuries get worse with aggressive stretching (due to the nerves in the area). You aren't getting any burning or numb sensation are you? Again, these are things I would bring up with your PT if they haven't come up already

no, nothing was mentioned about my pelvic alignment. Although I know that is def a factor. my body is very "off" I noticed in yoga when looking in the mirrors, I THOUHT I was straight, etc and complete NOT , was so off!

Hmmm about the aggressive stretching and making it worse. There are def some days that are worse than others. SOme days I will get the burning sensation....not numb but def a sore or burning feeling, almost like my muscles are stretching and tearing....I also have low body fat, so not sure if that's a factor in making me "feel" things more?/

[hannahb]

Mar 13, 2014 18:17:32 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Mar 13, 2014 18:10:14 GMT -5 hannahb said:

I'm a PT. High hamstring injuries can take a LONG time. If you feel it's slowly getting better you can Definately do the exercises on your own. I would go one last time and talk to your therapist about it. If you have been going for 2 months and aren't getting any better then I would seek out other treatment. Are they treating your pelvic alignment? This is pretty common with hamstring injuries. Also some hamstring injuries get worse with aggressive stretching (due to the nerves in the area). You aren't getting any burning or numb sensation are you? Again, these are things I would bring up with your PT if they haven't come up already

no, nothing was mentioned about my pelvic alignment. Although I know that is def a factor. my body is very "off" I noticed in yoga when looking in the mirrors, I THOUHT I was straight, etc and complete NOT , was so off!

Hmmm about the aggressive stretching and making it worse. There are def some days that are worse than others. SOme days I will get the burning sensation....not numb but def a sore or burning feeling, almost like my muscles are stretching and tearing....I also have low body fat, so not sure if that's a factor in making me "feel" things more?/

Your hamstrings attach to your pelvis. With long standing hamstring injuries they will pull on your pelvis causing you to become out of alignment. In my experience, if you don't work on pelvic alignment then they will chronically pull and while the person may feel better after PT, the pain comes back.
There is also a condition where the nerves around the hamstring origin (again your pelvis) become irritated. It's not very common but stretching in that instance can make things worse
If things are staying the same I would guess your alignment needs to be worked on. If things are worse, I would go more in the direction of the nerve irritation.

[clseale]

Mar 13, 2014 18:14:38 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Mar 13, 2014 14:06:46 GMT -5 clseale said:

Are you healed and scar tissue is causing issues? Or are you healing, and therefore, scar tissue is forming? It wasn't until I was almost fully healed, that my PT did Graston and ART for the scar tissue that had formed through my healing.

With that being said, I have no idea what your PT will do, versus what mine did. There's probably no harm in working at home for a bit, and then revisiting things if you're really not seeing results.

ETA: There is a point when they can't help you anymore. I still had pain, but I measured high (much higher than when I started) on their strength and flexibility tests. They kicked me out, and I continued on my own. Now when i start having pain, doing the exercises and stretches on my own, does the trick. 

this is such a great question!

They think my injury has healed and the scar tissue formed.  I am still in pain

What is Graston and ART?

Graston technique & Actice Release Technique. They're both used to break up scar tissue & adhesions. 

Also, from my personal experience, ditto everything hannahb is saying about alignment. It wasn't until my pelvis was fixed (& stayed fixed for a bit), that the pain finally went away. I feel it in my SI joint. If I start feeling off there, the hamstring pain quickly follows. All of the hip strengthening exercises they gave me really help to balance everything again. If I keep my hips strong, I keep my pelvis balanced, and my hamstring happy. 

ETA: I know I've mentioned this when you've asked before, but for reference, mine was VERY high, (like all the way up to my sit bone), inner hamstring pain. It got to the point where it would spasm as I sat. I was out 4 months. I didn't do yoga during this time, and only did gentle stretching in PT.