Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

Around October or November last year, I was doing some activity that involves me bending. Bend, straighten up, bend, straighten up.. the process repeats over and over. At every straightening up, I'd feel a slight pain on my lower back, which I simply shrugged off. After finishing with the bending activity, my back was quite painful but, I didn't mind thinking it's nothing a good nights sleep can't fix.

The next day, the pain was still there but, it was tolerable as long as I don't bend too much. Unfortunately, days after, I was accidentally pushed at a wrong angle and I actually felt my lower back snap. "Aw aw aw" was all I could say. Again, I simply shrugged it off.

That night was extremely painful. I couldn't sleep properly! I can't even shift position without hurting my back. I practically slept in one position only, to which I am totally not comfortable with.

Days and days passed. The pain was subsiding little by little. But never totally gone. At certain postures, my lower back would hurt like shit.

So, I finally decided to see the doctor. He prescribe some medication and I got my back and knees (it hurts when climbing up the stairs.. just didn't mind it for a long time) x-rayed. The result was simply muscle strain on the lower back. As for the knees... I need to lose weight!!! Darn it!!! I was advised to go to therapy for at least six sessions however, if the pain still persists, I need to have an MRI (don't want too....).

Having my physical therapy actually feels good! At times, I would actually fall asleep. The process goes like this:
(1) They have these huge hot compresses placed on the bed. Then they attach "tense" (some sort of mechanism that massages certain area/s of your body) to the affected area. So you lie down for twenty minutes. =D Feel soooo good!!
(2) They have this machine called "ultrasound". It's not really the common ultrasound we know. It basic purpose is like that of the hot compress except that the heat it generates penetrates deep within. At first, I really thought it's gonna be painful. But I didn't feel a thing at all. Takes around 20 minutes. Well, sometimes I would fall asleep too =D
(3) Next is the massage. Well.. it's not the common massage we get from spa treatment. The massage would only concentrate on one part of the body. Mine would be my shoulders.
(4) Probably the most boring part is excersice and stretching. It doesn't really take that long, if your fast, that is.
(5) Lastly would be "retraction". They bind you to a bed (ate, parang siraulo ba ako?) and attached the straps to a machine. The machine pulls your lower body. It should feel good, as some patients said. But... I don't feel good. Parang wala lang nga eh! Mas masarap pa nga kung manu-manong hatakan nalang eh =D Pwede ba yun?

The therapy session would usually last for 2 hours. Usually, I would be the last patient to leave. Panu kasi 3PM ang lagi kong pa-schedule eh. Last week, i got to finish my 6th session. Unfortunately, my back still hurts at times. So today, I'll be having another therapy session. Hopefully, I won't have to get an MRI done.