UPDATE: Ability to turn your head

[Belle1962]

12/8: UPDATE: I am at 50 & 45 YIPPIEEE!!!!!!! I am also starting to have a curve return to my neck (it had been absolutely straight as a board). I may soon be "normal" (ok--I will never be "normal" but my neck may be)

No 'faking it" with this PT. He can tell by looking what my neck muscles and joints & bones what they are doing. I referred a woman in my vanpool to him and she LOOOOVVVVVVVEEES him too. She said one session with him made her feel better than the years of going to her chiro. We've agreed until we're both better to not share him with anyone else

Maybe roller coasters will be in my future again!

So, the accident was a blessing in disguise, I found a PT who has actually made me better than I was. Neuro issues are still there but hey--life can't be perfect. Only really bad news---they do want to total my car out so I will have a car payment now. (Or once I actually turn the car into the insurance company--which I am delaying--much to my lawyers dismay)

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Hoping someone here may know the answer to this. After my car accident in April I did the chiro/massage routine (and still doing it). Went to my ortho about 2 weeks after the accident, had EMG, MRI, myelogram, etc. (Have yet to get into the neurologist--even though I am suffering from more lightheaded moments and visual issues) Not getting better so reluctantly agreed to more PT. (The last two rounds of pt I had I felt didn't do much good--I spent MONTHS going and really believe that time alone healed me---2003 and 2000.) So I find a pt near my home and I LOOOVVVVEEE them. This guy really seems to know what he is talking about/doing and I feel I am making progress.

Anyway, when I went on Thursday he said I was still at "30". (Some number having to do with ability to turn my head). He then said "That's legally disabled and I will have to report this if you don't improve". He then asked how I saw to drive. Because I am somewhat of an off the cuff comedian I said "with my eyes open". He then said, seriously how do you merge or switch lanes without being able to turn your head more. I said I use my mirrors a lot--I will adjust my mirrors so I can see more of the lane and then readjust after I have made my merge/lane switch and before this accident I could turn more. Also--if I feel the pain I still keep turing to look. SO he said my goal is to be at "60". (Ok--before the accident I was only at 50 if I remember the number from 2003--but now don't want to tell him that)

So here's my question--what do you think he meant by 'report me". Can they yank my drivers license? I work 40 miles from home and we do not have public transit. I'm sorry but I can't quit my job and there aren't any jobs closer to my home--I have 18+ years with my current employer (The Fed Govt) and don't want to go to private industry.

Now I'm worried to ask him too many questions but--what is 30--degrees, percent, etc? What does happen if he "reports it"? And although I know I shouldn't "fake it" I have been really stretching my head and holding it -- even when I feel pain to get above whatever that "30" means. When I go to him should I just "push myself" and tell him I feel fine--no pain and not stop the turn when I feel the pain?

And before I get any flames about ME endangering other people on the road I would like to point out that neither the accident in 1999 or the one recently were my fault. I may think of speed limits as more of a "suggestion" than a "limit" but am very cautious otherwise--especially with DGS in the car. I have never caused an accident or other incident on the roads.

P.S. My DGS (4) serves as my "eyes" at WDW when I am in an ecv and need to back up/make sharp turn---it's amazing how quickly people will make room for you to turn or back up when they see a 4 year old directing you

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I would guess it is the # of degrees.staring straight ahead is 0 degrees. turning to your left shoulder would be 90 degrees, turning to the right shoulder would be 90 degrees.

Read in Newsweek about a syndrome called"Traumatic Brain Injury", that it is common in the soldiers serving in IRAQ. The armor protects from gross injury but there is still trauma to the brain. Just in case Nurologist mentions that as a possibility.

As for PT. There are great ,there are good and and there are useless PT/Massage therapists.
Make sure they check your whole body mechanics. Took 3 years of on/off PT untill a sports Dr. recognized hip was out of alignment so neck would never heal until hip and then spine were realigned.
Have found a great chiropractor who is great with muscle spasms also and also go to a Cranial Sacral Massage Therapist. CS releases muscle spasms.
Another good massage therapy is called Myofascial release and it can loosen up tissue restrictions which might be causing the pain when you turn the neck.
Good luck!

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm quite certain the numberrs are degrees with 0 being at midline as described by the other poster. PTs measure other joints by degrees with a little thing that looks king of like a protractor. I think that next time you go, you should ask him what he means by the statements he made to you. It could be that if you can't turn your head to 60, there are some additional things you would need, like extra mirrors or some kind of defensive driving course. If they were going to take away your license, I think the OT would have reported you by now, after all, he's known you had the problem for some time.
You mnight have to work thru some pain to make progress, but working theu a lot of pain is not a good idea because you could further injure yourself.
For the other problesm, I'm not clear if you have an appointment set up with the neurologist of not,but it sounds like you need one.

 

[mbb]

and they (meaning her family doctor, neurologist, and physiotherapist) just cleared her to drive (she was in a car accident in November). She has to get large mirrors for both sides of the car.

When she does isometrics, she can get to 65...

Good luck..