mynthdd2 wrote:I know I have touched on this subject before but it seems to be getting worse.....knees and hips.
Partner suggests I take Paracetomol before walking but not sure that is a long term solution as it seems I am 'disguising' further damage so has anyone tried that route before considering surgery etc...?
ta
I think I have contributed to similar threads before, but here are my thoughts
- I have one artificial knee (hence my nickname, with apologies to Nigel Blackwell - himself a walker, of course!).
- the metal knee has genuinely given me a new lease of life (I am 56, operation was done about 4 years ago). Before my op, a walk in the park was challenging and painful. Now, I am making plans for a week in the Cuillin next spring.
- however there are certain things I avoid. I used to do expedition-style trips abroad, and multi-day linear routes, which involve heavy load carrying. I avoid that now.
- the corollary of that is: everything you can do to reduce weight, and therefore impact on the joints, is good.
- when walking up or down slopes, I take small steps - as small as possible. They look absurdly small to many walkers, as if I am hardly moving at all. But I find it a great help in reducing impact.
- I use poles, with rubber tips, to minimise impact and jarring. But they are a personal choice - and I do find they get in the way when scrambling.
- the physio exercises are brilliant. When I was off work for the operation, I treated the exercises as "my job".
- many of the routes on WH will do 2 or more peaks in a day. I tend to look at ways to shorten the distance walked and height climbed. So I will often do just one hill in a day, even if there is another summit nearby. I think it is better to spend the time in stopping to look at the view.
- my other knee needs replacing. I've had the cortisone injections in it for a couple of years. They help a bit - but for me, they are not really the answer. Their effectiveness varies from person to person, and on the severity of the arthritis.
- I've not tried any alternative remedies; I'm naturally sceptical. I tend to agree with Ben Goldacre's view - that most of the apparent benefits are down to the placebo effect.
- however, (another corollary) there is one amazing "alternative remedy". I think it is the biggest factor of all, apart from the surgery. It is the mental element in managing pain.
Tim