Wife and Mommy

Rachel: Excuse me, Dr. Bobby happens to be an excellent doctor.
Ross: Uh.
Dr. Green: Wait a minute, his name is Dr. Bobby?
Rachel: Well that’s his last name.
Ross: And his first name.
Dr. Green: He’s Bobby Bobby?
Rachel: It’s Robert Bobby.
Dr. Green: Oh.
Rachel: And um, excuse me, he helps me.
Ross: Oh-ho please. Ask her how?
Dr. Green: What do you need help for?
Rachel: With my alignment. I’ve got one leg shorter than the other.

I had my first Physical Therapy appointment today for the back and right leg pain I’ve had for, like, ever (okay, since 2004).  I’d done PT once before–in 2006 after Cupcake’s birth–but it only focused only on the leg pain and it did not help in the long term.  Last fall, my New Primary Care doctor sent me to a neurologist, who did a bunch more tests and determined there is no nerve damage.  PCP has recommended PT with a focus on the leg AND back this time.

I have to confess, when I first met the therapist, I thought for sure that I’d made a big mistake.  He seemed totally bored and disinterested as he took medical information, etc.  I was afraid I’d wasted my time by showing up and was ready to leave after 10 minutes of talking to him.

Then he said he was going to do a little test:  he helped me align my body (lifting legs, bending knees, etc), and then he measured the length of my legs.  My left leg is shorter than the right.  He said this explains the pain, since the right leg and my back are bearing the brunt of the slacker left leg.

Cause of this?  Pregnancy and childbirth.  Yeah, thanks kids.

The pubic and pelvic area loosen in anticipation of childbirth.  I remember the rag doll feeling below the waist (not that I had a waist when I was knocked-up, but whatever).  Afterwards, the ligaments are supposed to pull everything back to their original position…except sometimes it doesn’t happen that way.  Instead the alignment of bones in the pelvis can misalign.  This results in the shorter leg and hence, the pain in the leg and back.

Great news:  it’s fixable.  He aligned my legs, bicycled them and had me stretch the left one down while pulling the right one up (hard to explain).  I know it sounds kooky, but it worked.  Then I did all kinds of exercises to strengthen the muscles and such, which will help  “hold” the left leg in that position.  He said it will take a couple of weeks, but he has seen people whose extreme pain like mine cease with diligence to these exercises.

I am so excited.  Honestly, I have forgotten what it is like to live pain-free in my back and leg.  I am so hopeful and can’t wait to get going on this PT and kick this thing once and for all!