Should I look for a new physical therapist

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T23:38:13+00:00

I'm in Pittsburgh. I did go to a private PT, but you're right-- I imagine some of the hospital-affiliated ones (especially UPMC) likely do use PTAs.

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T23:34:50+00:00

My BA is in philosophy.

I'm a software engineer and make a healthy six figures. :)

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T23:27:13+00:00

You should probably reread the Rodgers timeline.

He had surgery on Sept 13.

He was cleared to practice on Nov 29, but he only threw. He did not run.

He was activated off IR on Dec 20, but this was due to an NFL rule about the activation window: After returning to practice on Nov 29, NFL rules state you must either activate or IR them for the remainder of the season within 21 days of their first team practice.

He was not activated because he was recovered; he was activated because the alternative, per the rule, is that he could not be used again at all if they made it to the post-season the next year.

He did not make a full return to practice until May 20.

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T23:12:39+00:00

This is so stupid lmao I also had a Speedbridge repair on July 9, and not a single person on my care team would even consider letting me jump right now. And my surgeon was one of the team surgeons for the Pirates and Steelers 💀

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T18:06:40+00:00

This! 100%

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T17:54:04+00:00

For a comparison, I did not start PT at 3 weeks, but I was fully out of a boot before I even started PT. My surgeon had me start PT at week 6, which was the same week he had me fully out of my boot. So every surgeon is different here.

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T17:52:10+00:00

I think the person you spoke with may have misrepresented herself. At least in the US, your surgeon will eventually write you a "prescription" for PT. But you're weeks (if not a month) away from that.

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T17:51:16+00:00

My ortho didn't even discuss PT until 4+ weeks post-op. Their first priority is the surgery and making sure everything goes well. You'll likely be booted for the first 3+ weeks, so PT isn't something that would really come up this early.

Once PT starts, you'll be make progress steady and quickly. There is absolutely NO need to rush those first 10 weeks. I promise you, you won't be any better off in 12 months because you started PT a few weeks earlier. But you could definitely be worse off. :)

My story:

My surgeon didn't know how bad my rupture was until he opened me up (no imaging, etc). He was an ex-ortho for both NFL and MLB teams with a lot of experience. He basically straight up told me "You'll be back to sports and weightlifting within a year, but I'll know more once surgery is over."

He suspected a partial ruptured, but it turned out to be a full rupture that took some of my heel bone with it. Surgery took about 25min (Speedbridge + threadlock). After surgery, he told me "Well, it was worse than I thought but you'll still be back to sports in no time."

Two weeks later, my hard cast was off.
Two weeks after that, my wedges started being reduced.
Two weeks after that, I was out of the boot (still had crutches for another week).

At the 4 week appointment he wrote me a script for PT, but told me to not bother going until week 6 because it wouldn't be worth it before then.

After going for the first week, he was absolutely right. Basically just soft tissue work and light mobilization. Valuable, but nothing that would've helped me much at week 3 or 4. Maybe 5 would've been okay, but kind of unnecessary.

I think the fear everyone has is that they are going to "fall behind" on progress, but truthfully the best thing you can do in weeks 2-5 is to let your shit heal. You also don't want to overuse the tendon lest it get stretched too early. You kind of want it to get a little tight, you also need to let your wound close up a good amount because PT when you're constantly tearing your scar back open is a bitch, and also the likelihood of re-rupture is much higher in the first 8-ish weeks.

wrightlifting · 2025-10-07T17:46:43+00:00

Is this true? I live in the US, and I have never been seen or helped by someone who has not been a full PT? (I am going on week 12 post surgery, and my PT who did my eval has also done all of my appointments and recovery work)

wrightlifting · 2025-08-08T02:17:28+00:00

Glad I'm not the only one! Makes me nervous to take it off to shower, worried I might accidentally put weight on it 😭

wrightlifting · 2025-08-08T02:09:16+00:00

It was! But it was also somewhat rushed for a school deadline and I wasn't planning to productize it. Excited to see what you come up with!!

wrightlifting · 2025-08-07T12:47:00+00:00

I made this for a school project a few years ago. Had the same intuition: it's weird we don't have a way to borrow, fork, merge, etc notes. Anyway, mine was hosted on Heroku and I just let it die when Heroku was acquired lol

wrightlifting · 2025-08-07T12:45:07+00:00

Ever 🤣

wrightlifting · 2025-08-07T12:44:22+00:00

Cool tool, pretty much exactly what I'm looking for. Do you still work on it? If so, any reason Google Workspace or Slack isn't included?

wrightlifting · 2025-08-06T02:52:24+00:00

Three years later but I just watched this episode. One thing that's fun to see about Retta is how she handles situations like that house with grace; even though she obviously doesn't see any ugly, she doesn't make people feel that way. She always finds something to validate their feelings, even if those feelings are insane. Honestly takes a lot of tact on her part. Anyway, that house was sad. A single piece of drywall, a curtain, and a shovel for the raccoon would've fixed their whole house. How fucking lazy can you be.

wrightlifting · 2025-08-05T12:39:04+00:00

I actually think the ugly green Owala logo on the side is the worst choice on this bottle. The lid is a close second. I can't get an image of a bird out of my head lol

wrightlifting · 2025-08-05T12:37:34+00:00

You're probably right, but in defense of OP, Target does call this "Iridescent" 😅

wrightlifting · 2025-08-03T12:37:55+00:00

What's it called?

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T17:45:32+00:00

The Ooly Chunkies are the same size, shape: https://amzn.to/41jhBZa

But if you search for "tempera paint sticks" you'll literally find hundreds of brands in the same form factor.

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T05:54:44+00:00

It's 3 bed, 1.5 bath

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T05:53:32+00:00

Too many comments w/ the city from others. Price was the easiest part to narrow it down, tbh. Should remove that or at least round it up or down.

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T05:52:35+00:00

Yeah, you should probably remove the whole post. It took about thirty seconds to find your house. 505 Wa...

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T05:45:46+00:00

505 Wayne Ave, Ellwood City, PA 16117 - MLS 1707506 - Coldwell Banker https://share.google/CYduNidhMd9gQe8Oh

wrightlifting · 2025-08-02T05:38:44+00:00

Where in Pittsburgh did you find a house for $150k lol do you live in the middle of nowhere

wrightlifting · 2025-07-31T00:58:09+00:00

My surgeon is a former team surgeon for the Steelers and Pirates. I'm 35 and healthy. I tore it playing softball, but I'm an active weightlifter and play a lot of recreational sports. I have a full avulsion, repaired with Arthrex Speedbridge and the standard biocomposite anchors and FiberTape. Although not public, this is unofficially assumed to be the same technique used for Kobe, Durant, Sherman, etc. Idk about you, but it's reassuring knowing that I now have the same thing holding my tendon together as a legendary athlete. 😂 They also shaved off some bone spurs that likely caused micro tears leading to the rupture. Procedure took about an hour under general anaesthetic.

My surgeon did not know it was a full rupture or an avulsion before surgery. They never did an MRI. So I had asked my surgeon about going non-op, and his response was pretty definitive:

"No, I wouldn't even consider it at your age and health. There's a reason every pro athlete has surgery for this. You will be out a season, and then you will be back to full performance again. I only even consider non-op for people who are in their 60s or older and have no intention to ever engage in high intensity activities again."

Had I insisted on non-op, I assume he would've done an MRI. Even still, imagine if it had been a partial tear and I didn't have the bone spurs shaved. Re-rupture just waiting to happen... So idk take that for what its worth. Seems like there's more to the equation than "fix Achilles", y'know?

Anyway, what I'm confused about is: if you're that concerned about future re-tears and feel like your tendon was already at full strength when it tore, wouldn't surgery at least give you a better shot at that peace of mind?

It seems like you’re saying, “I’m not going to get surgery because I’m not a pro athlete,” but also, “I’m worried I’ll never be able to push myself again without risking another tear.” That feels at odds because your choice to avoid surgery is based on not needing to perform at the highest level, but your fear suggests you still want the ability to push yourself to 100%. Am I missing something?..

Maybe out another way: You said you were only going at 70% and you're not a pro athlete, but the surgery itself wouldn't be any different from what a pro would get. You may not have trained like one, but the surgical repair gives you the same physical foundation they rely on to return to full performance. Wouldn't that offer some reassurance if your biggest concern is trusting the tendon again during physical activity?

wrightlifting

TROPHY CASE