Manual PT on Yourself

calebf

New member
Do you ever do manual CPT on yourself? I've started trying to do 1-2 very intense airway clearance sessions per week. These last about 1-2 hours and the main component for me has been manual CPT that I perform on myself.
I can reach all of my front, sides, and part of my upper back on my own (the left side better than the right cause I'm right handed) and can hit those areas pretty well.I typically alternate between the flat part of a hollow fist, an open palm, and a cupped palm. Manual CPT while doing breathing exercises such autogenic breathing, postural drainage, huffing, and while doing alubuterol/hypertonic treatments work well. Mostly because I can hit the areas that need to be moved and focus on them simultaneously from a posture and breathing/cough perspective.
Getting the center and lower portions of my back on my own has been a problem.I'll use the vest but of course it's not as effective. I'll lay on my side or chest, hug the edge of my bed and huff. Lay on my back with my head off the edge of my bed while holding my breath and doing manual CPT. I must look rediculous but it's very effective. But all this targets my front and sides.
Is there anything anyone does on their own that really hits their center and lower back?
 

00transam

New member
HOLY CRAP!! I have never found anyone else who does they're own manual PT!!!! I have been doing my own PT for over 20 years and am thought of as an oddity at my care center(people stop by my room when in hospital to see me do it). For me it works better than the vest by far and beats what the respiratory staff do also, as for the back I haven't cracked that problem yet. My wife will do my back at times, sometimes on my inversion table which I also find helps my PT alot. Nice to know I am not the only one, they have never had another at my center and they have been big on CF for 35+ years. Good luck to you, if you figure out some new ways to do it feel free to let me know @ kileycoyote72@hotmail.com
 

CyrilCrodius

New member
I've done that several times. My arms are flexible enough that I can to my lower back myself, using right hand on right side and left hand on left side.

However... hollow fist? Open palm? The point of the cupped palm is that is does a *clock* sound that resonates inside your chest, which is what gets the mucus loose. The deeper the sound the better. So I'm not sure that anything other than a cupped palm works well.
 
J

Juniper

Guest
i live in the uk and we dont have the vest so its manual postural drainage all the time which can be hard
 
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