How to Ask Your Doctor if a CPM Machine is Right For You

When it comes to figuring out the treatment plans, doctors, hospitals, and clinics that you want to use for your personal health care, making sure that you make the right choices is important. And more and more, with the advent in popularity of health savings accounts (HSAs), and other forms of insurance that are less expensive for employers, Americans are left advocating for themselves to find the best quality care and prices available on the market.

Although it may not seem fair — after all, the vast majority of us didn’t go to medical school and don’t really know the first thing about anatomy and physiology — we can’t forget that we still have medical professionals and advocates in our corner. We just need to make sure to utilize them.

In today’s blog post from the Medcom Group — a leader in CPM machine and other rehabilitation device sales and rentals for over 30 years — we will help to teach you how to start a conversation with your doctor or surgeon about whether or not a CPM machine is right for you when it comes to recovering from a joint surgery.

If you’ve already received a prescription for a CPM machine, visit us online to find the right one for you.

Know Before You Go

The most important thing you can do when it comes to starting a conversation about your medical care is a little bit of research. CPM machines, although a fantastic passive mobility tool that can reduce swelling and inflammation while increasing your range of motion, are not the right choice for everyone, and for some people they might not even be an option.

CPM machines are best utilized for post-surgical recovery and healing from the trauma caused to that joint during surgery. You can make use of a toe CPM, ankle CPM, knee CPM — one of the most common — hip CPM, shoulder CPM, elbow CPM, wrist CPM, and even a finger CPM. But depending on your injury and the procedure you have done, the use of a CPM may not be appropriate. For instance, in the case of a knee replacement, a CPM is a very common and helpful recovery tool. For a lighter surgery like minor arthroscopic cartridge cleanup, a CPM may not be necessary.

Insurance and medicare can be determining factors for whether or not a CPM is right for you purely based on your financial situation, too. We recommend visiting our Learn About CPMs page online before starting a conversation with your doctor to help give you some baseline knowledge.

Start The Conversation Early In The Process

Make sure to bring up your questions about post-surgical treatment and a CPM machine, specifically, as soon as it is decided that you will be getting a surgical procedure performed on your joint(s).

This not only allows you the most amount of time to work with your doctor to determine what is right for you, but it also allows them the time to look into your specific situation more closely. Medical professionals, just like the rest of us, have a tendency to fall into patterns and habits that are generally successful, although not necessarily optimal for each individual patient. Empower your doctor to be a good advocate for you by giving them plenty of time to help you make a good decision.

Additionally, if you are going to use a CPM machine, you will want to have access to it as soon as your surgery is complete in most cases. So, waiting until the week before your surgery to get a prescription for one may not leave you with enough time to find, rent or buy, and receive your CPM machine.

Seek More Information About Your Treatment In General

Finally, by showing that your post-surgical care matters to you, you will engage your doctor at a greater level. This typically means a greater understanding of your surgery, your after-care, and your long-term needs for maintaining joint health for years to come. In other words, in a world where you need to advocate more for your own health care treatment, you need to make sure to ask a lot more questions.

Get Your CPm Machine From The Medcom Group

Once your doctor has determined that a CPM machine is right for you and written you a prescription, visit the Medcom Group online to find the right machine for you at great rental prices.