Physical Therapy After Knee Surgery In Chiang Mai

[nikster]

Can anyone recommend a good physical therapy clinic in Chiang Mai?

My wife had knee surgery - we thought it would be a simple meniscus snip but I guess they fixed some ligament as well as she's not allowed to walk for 2 weeks, and they said 6 weeks recovery and 3 month for full recovery. Don't know the exact details as I haven't been able to talk to the doc yet but we did make sure to go to one of the best knee specialists in CM.

Ideally I am looking for a place where they treat sports injuries and things like that as that type of injury is pretty common with many sports, football, martial arts, badminton, etc.

She is now going to Suan Dok / Sri Pat hospital but it's not that great...

[jimmym40]

May I ask who the doctor is?

My wife had both knee replacement surgeries, 29 Nov for one and 29 Jan for the second one. She's so HAPPY...

Surgery was done at Rajavej Hospital, doctor was Charnakarn. He's been highly recommened here on TV and my wife both agree, he's very pleasant to consult with in addition to his professional skills. He has his own clinic just over the river from Rajavej hospital.

To get to your question. My wife had therapy also done at Rajevej after both surgeries. The two therapists there are very knowledgeable, pleasant and speak English also. The surprising thing was that each therapy session (1 hr) was only 200 baht.

Wish your wife heals fast with a full recovery.

[elektrified]

I can't say enough good things about the Physical Therapy Department at Rajavej Hospital. I really like Khun Diow. She is excellent.

[harrry]

At http://www.mckeanhosp.org/ they have excellent physiotherapy services, ii is a bit out of town but is well worth checking. In fact the grounds of the old lepar collony are well worth a trip just to see the huge old trees.

[irlguy1]

Don't waste money on clinics I have had the same surgery twice now over 10 years and the best therapy after the op is swimming.

It's non impact and helps strengthen the knee without putting weight on it.

Get her to do gentle leg lifts while lying down and slow foot rotations in both directions.

I am no doctor but IMHO these are the best remedies.

[hellodolly]

May I ask who the doctor is?

My wife had both knee replacement surgeries, 29 Nov for one and 29 Jan for the second one. She's so HAPPY...

Surgery was done at Rajavej Hospital, doctor was Charnakarn. He's been highly recommened here on TV and my wife both agree, he's very pleasant to consult with in addition to his professional skills. He has his own clinic just over the river from Rajavej hospital.

To get to your question. My wife had therapy also done at Rajevej after both surgeries. The two therapists there are very knowledgeable, pleasant and speak English also. The surprising thing was that each therapy session (1 hr) was only 200 baht.

Wish your wife heals fast with a full recovery.

My Doctor recommended Dr. Charnakarn. I talked with her husband a while back and he recommended their physiotherapy as he had used them. Dr. Charnakarn also specializes in sports injuries.

All I have ever heard about him has been good.

[jaideeguy]

I know where NOT to go for PT.....CM Ram. Had ankle rebuilt after accident and no problems with surgery, but PT was krap. Agree that swimming would be good.

[nikster]

Thanks for the tips - I guess there isn't too much choice here in CM... will check out Rajavej

[DiamondKing]

How much was it for a Knee replacement at Rajavet ??

DK

[elektrified]

Thanks for the tips - I guess there isn't too much choice here in CM... will check out Rajavej

There are a number of PT clinics around the city. There are 2 that are across from Lanna Hospital. They are owned by some of the Orthopedic Surgeons who practice in the area. One night when I was having my neck problems and it was after hours for Rajavej PT Dept., I tried one of them for some ultrasound and hot packs as I was in a lot of pain. The girl was not too friendly, kept looking at her watch, and was not at all interested in listening to me tell her where the pain was, how I was feeling, etc. She was only watching the clock. I never went back.

Khun Diow at Rajavej truly cares about the patients and can tell by the way you walk in and how you present yourself where the pain is originating from. When I first walked in the PT Dept., she walked up to me and put her her finger on my neck and said to me "you have a problem with a nerve here." She put her finger exactly where the pain was. After the first week of treatments with her she even called to see if I was feeling any better. Her manipulation (kind of a massage) relaxed me so much that I fell asleep at least 6 times during the months I went there for treatment! I could not sleep at night and had to take Valium but her treatments relaxed me so much I could sleep right there.

[Sojourner]

Surgery was done at Rajavej Hospital, doctor was Charnakarn. He's been highly recommened here on TV and my wife both agree, he's very pleasant to consult with in addition to his professional skills. He has his own clinic just over the river from Rajavej hospital.

Would you happen to know if Dr. Charnakarn does spine surgery as well? Thanks

[hellodolly]

Surgery was done at Rajavej Hospital, doctor was Charnakarn. He's been highly recommened here on TV and my wife both agree, he's very pleasant to consult with in addition to his professional skills. He has his own clinic just over the river from Rajavej hospital.

Would you happen to know if Dr. Charnakarn does spine surgery as well? Thanks

Good question. On the pined list of medical practitioners he is listed as a ORTHOPAEDIC (Bones/Joints) not sure if that would cover the spine I would imagine some of it might need a nerve specialist and some just a bone doctor.

Also interested in knee replacement all though I had heard they use a laser for measurements in Bangkok as it can lead to problems if the measurements are not perfect.

Just repeating what I heard.

[uptheos]

I can't say enough good things about the Physical Therapy Department at Rajavej Hospital. I really like Khun Diow. She is excellent.

I agree with what you say and will add that I really like Khun Took.

It's nice to have two competent physio's.

[tango]

Nikster 'we did make sure to go to one of the best knee specialists in CM.'

Name please, and cost. Cheers

[DiamondKing]

Guess no one knows the cost of a Knee replacement please

I could always go and ask but know someone knows the cost

cheers

DK

[jimmym40]

Guess no one knows the cost of a Knee replacement please

I could always go and ask but know someone knows the cost

cheers

DK

The cost for my wife's total knee replacement (for one knee) was 152,000 baht which included all hospital and doctor costs for 5 days in the hospital. The first consultation with the doc was no charge. Prior to surgery, I believe costs were around 1,700 baht which was for blood work, x-rays, and an initial doctor visit to discuss lab results, etc, prior to surgery. Several visits to the doc's clinic afterwards (4 and 8 week follow-ups) was with no charge, but did have to get x-rays done which only cost 500 baht each time. Oh, physical therapy after surgery (5 visits) were 200 baht each time.

[hellodolly]

Guess no one knows the cost of a Knee replacement please

I could always go and ask but know someone knows the cost

cheers

DK

The cost for my wife's total knee replacement (for one knee) was 152,000 baht which included all hospital and doctor costs for 5 days in the hospital. The first consultation with the doc was no charge. Prior to surgery, I believe costs were around 1,700 baht which was for blood work, x-rays, and an initial doctor visit to discuss lab results, etc, prior to surgery. Several visits to the doc's clinic afterwards (4 and 8 week follow-ups) was with no charge, but did have to get x-rays done which only cost 500 baht each time. Oh, physical therapy after surgery (5 visits) were 200 baht each time.

Which Hospital and doctor.

[jimmym40]

Ref post #2, I stated the hospital was Rajavej and the doctor was Dr. Charnakarn. He doesn't have hours at the hospital, you must go see him first at his clinic. If you come out of Rajavej hospital, turn right, go over the bridge and turn right again, and his clinic will be on the left hand side approx 200 meters. There is a big sign on the fence and on the building (looks like a house).

[Sojourner]

Surgery was done at Rajavej Hospital, doctor was Charnakarn. He's been highly recommened here on TV and my wife both agree, he's very pleasant to consult with in addition to his professional skills. He has his own clinic just over the river from Rajavej hospital.

Would you happen to know if Dr. Charnakarn does spine surgery as well? Thanks

Good question. On the pined list of medical practitioners he is listed as a ORTHOPAEDIC (Bones/Joints) not sure if that would cover the spine I would imagine some of it might need a nerve specialist and some just a bone doctor.

Also interested in knee replacement all though I had heard they use a laser for measurements in Bangkok as it can lead to problems if the measurements are not perfect.

Just repeating what I heard.

Quite true, if the angles are just a little bit off there may be problems. Mine was done using computer assisted surgery at Vejthani Hospital in BKK. It's fours years now and nary a problem. I'll get by Charnakarn's office soon. If nothing else he can check the condition of my TKR as it needs to be checked every year. Thanks.

[jimmym40]

I wanted to include this info in my last post but couldn't find it at the time.

Dr. Charnakarn's clinic phone number: 053204545 He travels around the globe about once a month to give lectures and gone from a few days to 7 days, so I would recommend calling to find out when he'll be out of town.

His clinic hours are: M-F: 5:30 - 7 p.m. and 9-12:00 on Sat.

[jimmym40]

Oh, sorry for another post. I want to add that he will do any surgery at any hospital you wish. He tells me that RAM and Sripat would probably cost 25-30 percent more than Rajavej. I believe his fee would remain the same, but he's saying that the "hospital costs" are that much more. Again, prices I quoted in Post #2 are all inclusive of his fee and hospital costs.

[OneZero]

Ref post #2, I stated the hospital was Rajavej and the doctor was Dr. Charnakarn. He doesn't have hours at the hospital, you must go see him first at his clinic. If you come out of Rajavej hospital, turn right, go over the bridge and turn right again, and his clinic will be on the left hand side approx 200 meters. There is a big sign on the fence and on the building (looks like a house).

If I am not mistaken, coming from the direction you gave, his clinic would be on the right hand side about 200 meters after turning off of the bridge.

[nikster]

Sorry I don't even know the guy's name - he has a clinic on Tae Pae road and is a uni professor at CMU.

We did the surgery at Sri Pat hospital - must say I was not impressed with the ward, the nurses seemed to be clueless. Cost 120k baht - seemed a bit steep but not knee replacement surgery, ours was a meniscus and ligament graft - I assumed that a lot of this was the doctor's fee but when I got the bill the Doctor's fee was actually only 22k baht! For a 2 hour surgery, downright cheap. Then there was 40k baht for something called "implant" - not sure that was the arthroscopy machine itself, or an actual implant but whichever it was it's probably money well spent on modern equipment. Sri Pat has supposedly the best.

Now the other 60k baht - I don't know where they went. There was a lot of medical supplies and such but for what you get at Sri pat it felt overpriced. Building as old as RAM, clueless nurses, nobody ever knew when anything was going to happen or what, etc. I mean it's OK, but nothing special, and doesn't hold a candle to a modern hospital in BKK or other places around Thailand. RAM nurses are in my experience more organized too.

Before they picked up my wife for surgery they told me I have to go get crushed ice at the 7-11. To cool her knee after. That had me a little worried... no ice in the hospital?? Wha?? And so it was they had a cooling system which needed my ice from the 7-11. Again thats OK but then the price doesn't make sense.

[nikster]

Oh, sorry for another post. I want to add that he will do any surgery at any hospital you wish. He tells me that RAM and Sripat would probably cost 25-30 percent more than Rajavej. I believe his fee would remain the same, but he's saying that the "hospital costs" are that much more. Again, prices I quoted in Post #2 are all inclusive of his fee and hospital costs.

What's his fee and what's the cost for the surgery? In post #2 you mention that physical therapy is 200 baht but I don't see you saying anything about the cost of the surgery.. am I missing something?

[uptheos]

Sorry I don't even know the guy's name - he has a clinic on Tae Pae road and is a uni professor at CMU..

My guess is that you are referring to Associate Professor, Sattaya Rojanasthein MD, who is the editor of the Thai Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery.

His clinic is near P&P Travel on Thapae Rd

Edited May 14, 2012 by uptheos

[jimmym40]

Oh, sorry for another post. I want to add that he will do any surgery at any hospital you wish. He tells me that RAM and Sripat would probably cost 25-30 percent more than Rajavej. I believe his fee would remain the same, but he's saying that the "hospital costs" are that much more. Again, prices I quoted in Post #2 are all inclusive of his fee and hospital costs.

What's his fee and what's the cost for the surgery? In post #2 you mention that physical therapy is 200 baht but I don't see you saying anything about the cost of the surgery.. am I missing something?

Sorry, I thought I included the costs in Post #2, but did update all the costs in Post #16.

[jimmym40]

Ref post #2, I stated the hospital was Rajavej and the doctor was Dr. Charnakarn. He doesn't have hours at the hospital, you must go see him first at his clinic. If you come out of Rajavej hospital, turn right, go over the bridge and turn right again, and his clinic will be on the left hand side approx 200 meters. There is a big sign on the fence and on the building (looks like a house).

If I am not mistaken, coming from the direction you gave, his clinic would be on the right hand side about 200 meters after turning off of the bridge.

Thanks for pointing that out. You are correct, his clinic will then be on the right hand side. I'm neglect by not proof reading first before I post.