Therapy

Ok, today I am going to try and shed some light on my various therapy routines. I am currently involved in four very distinct, very intense therapy programs: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture therapy, and Casey's path to wellness and recovery therapy. All four therapies operate on different philosophies, all four therapies utilize different techniques, and all four therapies have different goals. What these very unique and different therapies all have in common, however, is that they are all extremely intense and exhausting. Even the acupuncture is a work out. I absolutely have to take a nap after every occupational, physio, and acupuncture session. One hour of each feels like a marathon. Part of it is the muscle strain and the sheer physical effort but a lot of it is the mental strain. It takes a great deal of concentration and mental effort to make certain movements. I find that I have to really visualize and focus on the movement first. I have to consciously think about and plan the action. I'll think, "ok, use the shoulder not the back- can't start to depend on the back, lift up with the shoulder and then pull across your body using your chest muscles, make sure and keep your elbow locked and level - pull up with your elbow, extend your fingers but keep your wrist up - you have got to try and keep your wrist up." I'll think about this for a minute, practice with my right arm so I can see the motion and feel which muscles do what at what time and then I'll give it a go. The first few attempts are usually pretty sloppy but after a few repetitions I start to relearn the motion. The mental and physical effort is exhausting but satisfying. I feel like I am really getting a workout - this is good though because it means I am getting stronger, the wiring is getting reconnected, and the body is rebuilding. Although Casey's path to wellness and recovery therapy is not quite as physically draining, rest assured that it is just as mentally and physically challenging as the others.

Physiotherapy:
I currently have physiotherapy 5 days a week. This will continue for another month before it scales back to 3 times a week. The sessions usually last 1.5 hours. I love my physiotherapist and her entire staff even though she is a drill sargent who tries to push me over when I am standing or kneeling. She says it is to help my balance but sometimes I have my doubts. She watches me pant and sweat and struggle. My face starts to turn red with strain and she will calmly and coolly say some horrible thing like , "good job benjamin, only 5 more". Or after a particularly grueling exercise she'll say " that was great, really good job. Ok rest for one minute and then we'll try some leg lifts with weights". In her defense, however, her job is to make me strong. The goal of physiotherapy is to get me strong and get my muscles back in shape. First step: get the shoulder, elbow, wrist,and fingers working and strong - get the quad, hamstring, knee, calf, and ankle working and strong. Next step: get all these parts working together in complex motions. We start every session with strength building and motion exercises. This could be leg lifts with weights, bridges, arm and leg bicycle exercises, arm lifts, etc.(see slide show at bottom of page for pics) Then we move on to trying complex motions. For example, I'll balance on my knees, reach with my left arm for a ring held out in front of me and grab it. Then I'll have to shift my weight and drop the ring onto a stick placed to my left or right. There are lots of crazy hard but fun exercises like these. Everyday they come up with something new so there is a lot of variety and it is all actually kinda fun. Another huge goal of physiotherapy is learning to walk and balance. Check out the video- see if you can tell where we changed the speed setting.

Occupational therapy:
Like physio, I also currently have occupational therapy 5 days a week for another month before it scales back to 3 times a week. I also love my occupational therapist. She is not such a drill sargent but she is tough and she never lets up. Everyday she ups the ante and makes the exercises more difficult. The goal here is complex motion, coordination, controlled movements, and functionality. By functionality and complex motion I of course mean stacking cups and moving little rings. I love occupational therapy. It is by far the most difficult and exhausting of the four therapies but without a doubt my favorite. The video will clearly show why this is my favorite - I mean come on - don't you wish you could play with these awesome, new age, sophisticated toys for hours every week.


Acupuncture therapy: TBW
Casey's plan for wellness and recovery therapy: TBW
As this post is already quite long I will save the details of these two final but crucial therapies for another day.