Pain Exposure Physical Therapy

Brain and nerves
1

Have had CRPS for 3 years, in my left foot and leg. I recently reinjured my foot, and all my worst symptoms have flared up again. I have come across articles recently for Pept or Pain Exposure Physical Therapy. I have in the past exercised and stopped when pain gets too bad and allowed time for the foot to settle down before recommencing exercise. The Pept treatment encourages you to keep pushing even when your in pain. Has anyone tried  this program, and if so any results ? The stats for improvement and recovery using this treatment  look impressive.

2

Hi Goanna,

 My expierience was going from regular physical therapy to what my doctor called a "Work Conditioning" therapy which is basically the same thing you are describing. I can tell you from my personal expierience of continuing through the pain that it had bad results with me. There was a couple of days I went to therapy in so much pain and didn't even want to do anything asking to see the doctor instead and they told me I couldn't and they said most people don't understand it's a hard thing to go through and to just try stretching more in-between the excersizes I was given to do throughout the day. I had to trust what they were telling me to do so I bared the pain and every time I bared the pain I would suffer a lot more throughout the rest of the day suffering from extreme cramping where my problem areas were so bad I didn't want to live anymore. I found through trying to do what I could without pain getting too bad was the best recipe. I know people react to pain differently and CRPS effects people differently to some degree but as for me the doctors are experimenting with this subject still and I WILL NEVER push myself like that again. I'm lucky I can walk at all for short periods to get normal things done without pushing myself too hard and then not being able to do anything. I listened to everything the physical therapists told me to do and trusted them too much. They seemed like good people but truth is they don't know whats best for this stupid disease yet. I haven't found anyone that does. All the drugs, shots in the spine(which I refuse), therapy, .... all theories, experiments, and for some just income for the doctors raping the insurance companies. I pray you feel better.

3

Oh, and one more thing I learned about "The Stats" you'll see on P.T. facilities is they all try and make it look like people improve so they can continue to sell their facility to patients. One physical therapist even told me flat out "I have to show that you are improving". "The stats" are good for their insurance income abilities. Trust your own research and others with the same problem you do more than any computerised "Stats"

4

Thanks Roger for sharing your experience. I felt it might not be the right thing  for me, as previous experience of pushing too hard is totally counter productive for me. I have a major flare at the moment, think I will do my usual thing and start gently to exercise and see if I can get back to where I was before I re injured my foot, walking using a frame or walking stick.

Interesting about the stats, thanks for that 

5

I will NOT push myself beyond what I can cope with. Little by little is what works best for me. At the outset I couldn't stand my fingers/wrist/arm to be touched at all. Now I can fasten zips, buttons etc. These small 'victories' mean so much. 

6

Thanks, I agree,  for me also small gains have been my way forward. Sometimes I get impatient and frustrated, and I really have to pace myself.  I really think the PEPT  program is probably not for me . I am so glad you have progressed  so much. 

7

 Totally agree do what is your known limit! try swimming it's great way to move in water as you are weightless. like you I get flare ups which is 50%of the time.is very debilitating indeed and the underlying condition spinal nerve damage has caused referred pain weakness to my left foot. Which I Have CPRS2

8

Thanks for the tip about swimming. I must give it a try at some point. My flare up occurred as a result of my knocking my foot  on a very heavy metal  block. I was so devestated after doing this as I knew what was going to happen, and sure enough  all the crps symptoms came back with avengence and in a wheelchair to go out now.  Hope it settles down again, but one never knows how crps is going to play out. 

9

I knows a strange unpredictable condition which demands your time ..even when you don't want it!

 

10

Hopefully one day with all the research being done  there may be a better outcome for all of us whose lives have been changed in such an unpleasant and diffucult way.