Building strength and confidence with each physical therapy session

When it comes to scheduling appointments, I say the earlier the better. I love first-thing-in-the-morning physical therapy sessions. The commute is quieter, as my neighborhood and city are still waking up, and the late-summer heat hasn’t yet turned the concrete into hot stones. There’s a sense of accomplishment in finishing a session before the clock strikes 9 a.m. It’s my favorite way to start the day.

A hospitalization that delayed physical therapy

Two years ago, I was recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in my right knee. The doctor had prescribed physical therapy for a week after the procedure. I couldn’t walk far on crutches without becoming short of breath, so I booked in-home therapy for the first session. Long story short, I never made it. The night before, my oxygen saturation levels dipped alarmingly low. That 911 call led to a month-long hospitalization for a serious health crisis, delaying the much-needed physical therapy for my knee.

It would be another two weeks before I was transferred to the rehabilitation hospital, where my care team had me doing physical therapy for my right knee and to regain my strength after everything I went through in the intensive care unit. Following my discharge the day before Halloween, I did two months of in-home physical therapy before I was able to attend sessions at a studio in my neighborhood at the beginning of 2025.

When you have a chronic illness like pulmonary hypertension (PH), as I do, or are recovering from surgery, it’s easy to fixate on restriction: what you can’t do, or what your body won’t let you do anymore. Focusing on those limitations can breed negative feelings and dampen your outlook on life. For me, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises turned that mindset on its head and helped me realize what was possible.

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Thriving with structure and accountability

There are already so many things that make life exhausting; it’s not always easy to find the motivation to exercise. It’s also been harder for me because my running days are mostly behind me. I’ve always responded well to a schedule because it keeps me accountable for showing up.

After I was diagnosed with PH in 2016, my pulmonologist prescribed pulmonary rehabilitation to help rebuild my lung strength. These rehabilitation programs can be in high demand with limited supply, not unlike physical therapy. I had to move up the wait list before I could begin what turned out to be a fairly rigorous program, three days a week for three months. Attending this rehab program necessitated some out-of-the-way travel, which actually helped me keep to a regular schedule. It forced me to prioritize my health in a way I wouldn’t have if I were left to my own devices.

What I loved about pulmonary rehabilitation was measuring my progress, getting my lung capacity back to baseline, and seeing my mental health improve alongside my physical conditioning. I feel many of those same sentiments echoing throughout my physical therapy journey, and the accountability of appointments helps keep me on track.

I’ve had one or two physical therapy sessions a week since fall 2024. (I need to take a minute to acknowledge the high-quality health coverage that makes it possible for me to afford this consistent cadence of appointments.) If the 2024 version of me could see what I now accomplish during appointments, I know he would be thrilled.

From neon green to electric blue

At first, I was performing stretches with exercise bands and doing sit-to-stands and single-leg extensions. With more sessions under my belt, I began adding weights to exercises and pushing a sled across the studio space. The physical therapists I work with are encouraging and supportive, and don’t hesitate to nudge me when they know I’m capable of more.

A few months ago, one therapist wanted me to try a one-leg balance on a wobbly Bosu ball. In my mind, this seemed like a wild, impossible suggestion. With a shaky leg (and shaky confidence), I warmed up to the idea that I could do the exercise and made the attempt. I now do the majority of my balance and strength exercises on the Bosu ball, and I’m happy to report there have been minimal close-call falls.

I recently purchased new athletic shoes. The bottoms of my neon green and gray Nikes, which I had worn since before my pulmonary rehab program, had finally given out. I traded them in for electric blue New Balances. Lacing them up feels like writing the next chapter in my health journey. Let’s keep those early-morning appointments coming!

Follow Mike Naple on X @mnaple or Bluesky @mnaple.bksy.social.

Note: Pulmonary Hypertension News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Hypertension News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary hypertension.