Are there any real physical therapists left? Now we have Red Cord.

[Doug90000]

Working my way back from shattering my calcaneus and was given instructions by my doc for PT to help get as much movement back as possible. The place was your standard PT place, plastic dumbbells, pilates machines and a couple treadmills...then I notice this table in the back with all these red ropes hanging above it.

It was excitedly explained to me that this is Red Cord and it was developed in Norway!! All I had to do to be evaluated was walk and maybe a couple one legged squats and then I could hop on the table to get suspended by this contraption and it will give me a deep muscle workout that would fix all my muscle imbalances. The only thing I know about Norway is that they love heroin there, and it probably snows a lot, which could lead to issues with critical thinking.

REDCORD | Suspension Exercises | Physical Therapy | Physical Therapist

In short, I left. I'm back on the Starting Strength program and my strength is growing by leaps and bounds, but still dealing with lack of mobility and joint pain.

The question-How on earth do we find reputable PT's anymore? I'm in the greater Los Angeles area if someone can give me a referral.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Has there ever been an abundance of "real" Physical Therapists? I certainly don't remember hordes of them. But this is a brilliant new way for the clinic to make money after the patient runs out of insurance. Standard TRX-type bullshit.

[jeb455]

I am an "insurance defense" lawyer. This means I represent people who get sued in personal injury cases. I am awash in PT records on a regular basis. I am convinced that one of the major reasons the PT industry is what it is -- i.e., filled with garbage "exercises" -- is that many, many, many people who get PT are fat, lazy, and not interested in any kind of difficult work to actually get strong. I know athletes get PT too, after an injury or whatnot. I'm fairly certain, however, that if someone did a study listing age and body-weight of every person who receives services from a PT in the United States in a given year -- the results would show "middle age" to elderly, and overweight to morbidly obese as the majority of patients.

Would someone like this benefit from a program like Starting Strength? Of course. But if they don't want to do it, they aren't going to do it, and they will flock to providers who provide nonsense and sell it as being effective at, e.g., "return range of motion to normal levels," etc.

Also, PT is firmly established in the treatment plans of virtually every orthopedic surgeon, and internist, who treat people for any kind musculoskeletal issue. A lot of PI lawyers will send their clients to chiropractors. The reasons are varied. But lack of insurance and the willingness of some chiropractors to enable malingering are the most prevalent. Virtually no MD -- and I've deposed over 100 in my 9.5 yr career -- will say that a chiropractor is better than PT. In many instances, however -- assuming an ethical practitioner -- a chiropractor is a much better, and cheaper, option than going through 6 weeks of physical therapy.

If you live in LA, I guarantee you can find a good chiropractor. You should only hire a chiropractor who is in shape. I'm not suggesting s/he needs a "six pack" -- but you should pick someone who lifts weights on a regular basis. You could probably get a referral from Cross Fit "box." You should try to find someone that works with people who work out with weights -- as opposed to someone who just runs a litigation mill. These people exist in decent numbers -- especially in an area like LA.

[Doug90000]

I have this hang up when I see providers that identify themselves as doctors. It's a simple qualifier actually. It's that they didn't get their doctorate from a college in a strip mall. Unfortunately this disqualifies chiropractors.

[AEsg81]

I work as a physical therapist assistant at the Ohio State University, a local hospital, and have worked in nursing homes and home health. I do get frustrated at my profession and people bashing it. How a job that originally was about helping those with war injuries, polio, cerebral palsy, and other life debilitating afflictions has made its way into strength and conditioning/ fitness is upsetting. I feel has has a lot to do with the decline physical education in this country. Now we are stuck with a situation where those who are in rehabilitation are teaching fitness/ strength and setting standards. This should have never come to be. I know Rip and the other SS coaches are doing their best to reverse this.

Don't even acknowledge that convoluted contraption. There are incompetent people in every profession and sadly the world of rehab has many charlatans. This is not to throw them all into the same group. There are some good ones and if its a chiro or PT there are people who can help. It does seem those who are skilled at ART can made legit structural changes that can get your ankle moving but you have to do your research.

I do want to set the expectation to those visiting this site and those in physical therapy. If you have general aches and pains or want to be strong DON'T GO TO A PT. Just get stronger through full range of motion and things will be good. If you have true structural deformity or neurological disease then maybe PT can help.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Welcome to the board, AE.

[mhagen3]

Ok, here goes: Physical therapist from Norway checking in. I am a starting strength novice and am enjoying the books, website and the forum.

I have a bit of experience with the redcord system, not so much with heroin.

The system is actually quite useful for rehabilitation of conditions where normal loaded movement is to heavy / not tolerated. It is in many ways a «workaround» for those patients and should be followed up by traditional loaded exercises later in the rehabilitation.

It´s main strength is:
- The ability to train natural movements, pain free for those who have conditions that responds poorly (e.g. inflammation / increasing pain) to normal strength work
- It is very easy to adjust the load - incremental increases in other words.

But:
- Progress is not as measurable as barbell training
- Don´t get stuck in the ropes for too long. You are a human, not a spider and should train accordingly