Your Physical Therapist is Your Friend?

I felt some nagging knee pain on our first ride, so I finally gave in and got an appointment with a physical therapist (I'm not gonna make it 2,600 miles + 204 miles in pain). I've had knee pain since swimming in high school when no one really took it seriously, including myself. Then playing water polo and swimming in college really did them in. And one of the kneecaps can dislocate, so I have to be careful. It seemed to work to take everything really slow when I started my mini-triathlon phase two years, and biking seemed to help. But I've been slacking off majorly this winter and the pain has came back.

I was excited to do something good to take care of myself. But the experience was completely blah. We just didn't click. I'm sure the therapist was competent, but I don't think "loosey goosey" is a technically a medical term (using it once or twice is fine, but a more specific diagnoses might inspire more confidence). And the way she was talking, I felt like it was my fault that my knee hurt me. She told me to do leg lifts, which was what I heard ten years ago, and sent me on my way. Even worth the $20 co-pay? I'm thinking not.

So what do I do? How personally attached to the professional service providers in your life do you have to be to be productive? I don't know what I would do if I didn't love my doctor, and I know I need a great relationship with my hairdresser, or it's not happening. I don't have other options nearby within my health plan, but isn't it rude to try someone else in the same clinic? I don't want go there dreading the possibility of passing her in the hall. It's not fair! I was trying to do something good, but now it's too complicated.

Maybe I'll just do my own leg lifts for free and hope for the best.