Physio - Microdiscectomy +31

This particular blog post is solely concerned with my trip to the physio and the exercises he gave me.

A tale of two physios
Before my herniated disc was diagnosed I was referred by my doctor for some physiotherapy. While I was waiting for the referral I paid to see the physio on a private basis. There was a noticeable change to how I was treated when my NHS referral came through. As a private patient I received a full 30 minutes of massage, ultrasound and manipulation. As an NHS patient I was given a bit of a stretch, a lower back massage and some ultrasound treatment. None of which did any good, and routinely my 30 minute appointments lasted 20 minutes.

Today I saw a difference physio - a salaried NHS physio rather than a private physio taking NHS referrals. Despite having a far greater degree of information available to him than my previous physio (notes from my surgeon etc), he was so thorough. More thorough than the private physio. He also spotted something that I knew deep down but had got so used to that I thought nothing of it. My lower back is healing well around the site of the operation (he was impressed - yay). It needs strengthening but that is natural. What the NHS physio noticed that the private physio hadn't, was that from the top of my spine downwards there is an incredible degree of stiffness (both muscular and spinal). This is down to a prolonged period of compensating for my weak lumbar region. I have had periodic neck, shoulder and upper back pain which I had put down to commuting, a bad posture or sleeping in a bad position.

So as well as working on my core, the physio will also be working on loosening up my upper spine and surrounding muscles.

In one session I feel much more confident that this physio knows what he is doing. I also saw the difference between NHS staff paid to give the best /most appropriate treatment, and the private sector doing the least possible for their NHS referrals. I'm more convinced than ever that the government's privatisation of provision will lead to a drop in standards?

My New Exercises
So this is what the physio is getting me to do until I see him next in order to ensure my back is more flexible and my core strengthened. This set of exercises to be repeated 3 times a day.

1, Knee Rocks
Lie on your back with your knees bent and pressed together, feet flat on the floor.
Slowly rock the knees (together) from side to side. Gradually increasing the movement as the back stiffness eases.
Do this for 45 seconds

2, Figure '4' stretch
Lie on your back with your knee bent, feet flat on the floor
Cross one leg over the thigh of the other.
Gently pull the knees towards your chest and hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat 3 times on each leg

ignore the instructions on the illustration

3, Glute Bridging

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor.

Contract the muscles in your bottom and slowly curl your pelvis off the floor.

Hold for 5 seconds

alternate this with the following exercise 5 times

4, Core Actvation

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor

Draw your belly button in towards your spine

Then push your tummy muscles up

Keep breathing as you do this

To tell that this is working - find the bony front of your hips and push fingers in either side. Your flesh will feel soft. You suck your tummy in as if pulling on tight jeans and then when you push the tummy muscles against your fingers you will feel the soft flesh become harder as the muscles push against the fingers.

I'm seeing the physio again in a week's time