Increased pain following physiotherapy ?

[Caz28]

Hi all, I sustained a multi fragmentary wrist fracture in January and was lucky to escape having to have pins and plates. I have osteoporosis due to a parathyroid adenoma which I had an operation to remove 3 weeks ago.  Since having the cast removed I have been attending a physiotherapy workshop at the hospital and doing exercises at home and although still stiff and swollen I am pleased with the progress I have made. However, the last two times I have been to hospital they have increased the strength of exercises and both times I have experienced greatly increased pain in my hand and can't do certain things with it I could do before. I've had to take paracetamol and ibruprofen today and I was off all painkillers before the physio session. I feel like I'm taking 1 step forward and 3 back - does anyone know if this is normal is it no gain without pain?

[linlow]

I am afraid, in some senses it is.  Think of it along the lines oh the old adage 'if you don't use it, you lose it'.  Your therapist is trying to move you forward to the place you were before the problem, at a pace that builds strength, but your injury wants to laze on the beach for a week in the sun whilst it thinks about recuperating.  The more you show it who is boss between sessions the less the next session will hurt.

carephysicaltherapy.com/why...

Do try not to over stress the injury by asking it to do more than your physio gave you to do though.

[Caz28 in reply to linlow]

thanks very much for the reassurance I was just a bit worried it was dong more harm than good

[linlow in reply to Caz28]

mention it at your next session to put your mind at rest, but also because this should have been explained to you already.  You'll likely get a very similar answer, with a very small chance that the exercises are toned down a bit.

[Caz28]

thanks, I will. I have been told rehabilitation and recovery will be about 18 months so I understand the need for patience, the increased pain is just a bit disheartening 

[nedd]

"Patients in physio outpatients are not being picked up as needing a differing approach to those with acute pain". (Lifted from research). So proceed with caution and get as much professional advise as you can if your pain does not settle. Good luck.

[earthwitch]

Make sure you tell the physio what has happened.  Ask if you should go back a bit and do less strenuous exercises for a bit longer.  

[Caz28]

thanks, it still really hurts today and I haven't got the movement I had, so yes, I will be telling them about it next week, can't even do my exercises 😓