I finally got to start physical therapy for my broken ankle yesterday. The session began with a therapist who seemed highly qualified and genuinely interested in helping me to recover. He did a thorough evaluation and great lower leg massage. Then he turned me over to another employee for the exercise portion.

The second employee was really just a "station mover". He started by putting me on a stationary bike, told me to pedal for 10 minutes and then walked away. He returned 12 minutes later to move me to another station with a circular board, told me to rock my foot back and forth 20 times, and walked away again. This pattern was repeated for 45 minutes with the employee moving me from station to station, giving me brief instruction on each exercise, and then leaving.

I was totally bored the whole time. I watched as all of the other employees did the same thing with their patients - moved them to each station, told them what to do, and then left. Everyone in the room, patients and employees alike, seemed bored. There was no cheer, little eye contact, and virtually no talking.

Maybe I was expecting too much but I thought that the employees would stay with patients while they exercised to ensure proper form, prevent boredom, and serve as coaches and cheerleaders. I'm not sure that I want to do this for 2 hours a week for the next 2 months. Except for the massage and special compressive ice wrap, I can do all of this "therapy" at home.

What's your experience with physical therapy? Did I go into this expecting too much?