Mon 05 Apr, 2010 5:33 pm
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 6:41 pm
stepbystep wrote:A couple of things I feel may be contributing to this is;
fatigue to said joints through age
stepbystep wrote:P.S. I am 36
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 8:04 pm
tasadam wrote:stepbystep wrote:A couple of things I feel may be contributing to this is;
fatigue to said joints through agestepbystep wrote:P.S. I am 36
Watch it! lol
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 8:07 pm
stepbystep wrote:Yeah, thanks for the contribution Adam
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 8:22 pm
tasadam wrote:stepbystep wrote:A couple of things I feel may be contributing to this is;
fatigue to said joints through age
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 8:25 pm
stepbystep wrote:What do you do to keep these essential regions healthy - I'm interested in any form of medicine herbal or traditional.
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 8:27 pm
Taurë-rana wrote:tasadam wrote:stepbystep wrote:A couple of things I feel may be contributing to this is;
fatigue to said joints through age
Um, like he said
Mon 05 Apr, 2010 10:09 pm
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 12:06 am
When going downhill, never put your foot down with your leg straight and knee "locked". If you do, it is incredibly jarring to the joints, especially the knee.stepbystep wrote:What do you do to keep these essential regions healthy - I'm interested in any form of medicine herbal or traditional.
What has worked for you, what have you heard works, and why?
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 8:04 am
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 8:15 am
stepbystep wrote:Thanks guys,
I suspect I need to loose 10kg and adjust walking style a bit, and go slower downhill for sure.
Has anyone had success with glucosamine? I've heard conflicting reports.
Cheers
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 8:28 am
Jellybean wrote:stepbystep wrote:Thanks guys,
I suspect I need to loose 10kg and adjust walking style a bit, and go slower downhill for sure.
Has anyone had success with glucosamine? I've heard conflicting reports.
Cheers
If you're carrying a bit of extra weight, losing some will definitely help, as will adjusting your walking style (as mentioned above). Using two poles to help take your weight (and reduce the load on your knees) can also help on steep descents.
I have arthritis quite badly in one knee (my orthpod told me I have the knee of a 70 year old woman, even though I'm only mid 40s; result of an active life). I have been taking fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin for several years now (on the advice of my orthopod) and have found it helps alot (greatly reduces pain and stiffness). It doesn't seem to have any effect on ankles or hips.
Cheers,
JB
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 9:21 am
There was a study a few years ago that showed that it regrows cartilage in hips, I haven't heard about knees but presumably if it does it in hips it would in knees. I've been taking it for a number of years and I think it helps, but I know people who swear by it including my mum who was a GP and now has arthritis.stepbystep wrote:Has anyone had success with glucosamine? I've heard conflicting reports.
Can't bring myself to use poles, I feel like I have less balance using them and think they are a hassle.
Or do lots more exercise to make up for it!Other than walking I have this devastating addiction to good food and lots of it, must address this to lose the extra kg's
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 10:15 am
Taurë-rana wrote:There was a study a few years ago that showed that it regrows cartilage in hips, I haven't heard about knees but presumably if it does it in hips it would in knees. I've been taking it for a number of years and I think it helps, but I know people who swear by it including my mum who was a GP and now has arthritis.stepbystep wrote:Has anyone had success with glucosamine? I've heard conflicting reports.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 10:19 am
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:02 am
stepbystep wrote:Can't bring myself to use poles, I feel like I have less balance using them and think they are a hassle
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:13 am
Taurë-rana wrote:I haven't had any side effects, but I know it can cause diarrhoea initially in some people - they have to build up to it. Actually I think that might be the condroitin which is also useful.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:29 am
A lot of people recommend poles to "take some of your weight". If you do this, what is happening is that you are transferring weight from the heavy duty limbs that are intended for carrying you (legs) to limbs that are not designed to take weight in this fashion (wrists, arms and shoulders). While it is not likely to damage the joints by jarring, it could put unexpected strain on muscles and tendons not used to it. At the very least, your posture is likely to change to a hunched-over style which cannot be good for you.Jellybean wrote:Using two poles to help take your weight (and reduce the load on your knees) can also help on steep descents.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:45 am
johnw wrote:Taurë-rana wrote:I haven't had any side effects, but I know it can cause diarrhoea initially in some people - they have to build up to it. Actually I think that might be the condroitin which is also useful.
Thanks Rachel. Yes from a quick bit of research it looks like Glucosamine sulphate and Chondroitin sulphate seem to have shown the best results so far, but both can cause some stomach upsets. From my point of view may be worth the risk to see if it helps me.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:46 am
davidmorr wrote:A lot of people recommend poles to "take some of your weight". If you do this, what is happening is that you are transferring weight from the heavy duty limbs that are intended for carrying you (legs) to limbs that are not designed to take weight in this fashion (wrists, arms and shoulders). While it is not likely to damage the joints by jarring, it could put unexpected strain on muscles and tendons not used to it. At the very least, your posture is likely to change to a hunched-over style which cannot be good for you.Jellybean wrote:Using two poles to help take your weight (and reduce the load on your knees) can also help on steep descents.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 11:54 am
davidmorr wrote:A lot of people recommend poles to "take some of your weight". If you do this, what is happening is that you are transferring weight from the heavy duty limbs that are intended for carrying you (legs) to limbs that are not designed to take weight in this fashion (wrists, arms and shoulders). While it is not likely to damage the joints by jarring, it could put unexpected strain on muscles and tendons not used to it. At the very least, your posture is likely to change to a hunched-over style which cannot be good for you.Jellybean wrote:Using two poles to help take your weight (and reduce the load on your knees) can also help on steep descents.
Poles are definitely useful for stability - they make you into a tripod or tetrapod which is a very stable structure. This added stability may help knees and hips by allowing a more controlled descent rather than the big steps and jarring stop each time without them.
Cheers
David
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 12:05 pm
photohiker wrote:It's a case of transferring some load from a limb with a worn joint to one without a worn joint, so that the walker can progress on the bushwalk in less (or no) pain. I don't think anyone is suggesting using poles as crutches.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 12:39 pm
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 1:03 pm
Penguin wrote:Tried two - was all over the place. With one I get the tripod effect as my balance is worse with less knee flexiblity.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 1:46 pm
Jellybean wrote:Hi John...
I've never had any side effects from the gluc/chondroitin. I highly recommend that you take it in conjunction with Fish Oil (has an anti-inflammatory effect). (Fish oil also seems to provide some cardiovascular benefits as well as having a beneficial effect on skin, hair and nails - at least that's my experience.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 8:01 pm
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 8:06 pm
Penguin wrote:A walking pole has been my saviour. Tried two - was all over the place. With one I get the tripod effect as my balance is worse with less knee flexiblity. I have teh ople in my left hand - my right knee is the worse. It took me about 12 months to learn how to use the pole for me. Down hill it gives balance adn takes the "jarring" way. I now try to land on the balls of the feet so that the calves can take soem of the shock away from the knees.
Tue 06 Apr, 2010 9:24 pm
north-north-west wrote:Penguin wrote:A walking pole has been my saviour. Tried two - was all over the place. With one I get the tripod effect as my balance is worse with less knee flexiblity. I have teh ople in my left hand - my right knee is the worse. It took me about 12 months to learn how to use the pole for me. Down hill it gives balance adn takes the "jarring" way. I now try to land on the balls of the feet so that the calves can take soem of the shock away from the knees.
Yep, I can't manage two, either. Feels wrong and unbalanced - it's also too cumbersome when trying to take photos. one's essential for my knees and hips on the downhills.
As for how you're 'supposed' to use them, I wouldn't have a clue, but have worked out my own system, which suits me. I have wrist tendonitis, so I can't grip the poles firmly - I put the weight on the strap via the ball of the hand and just use a very light finger grip to move and place the pole.
Must dig out those glucosamine capsules. I know they're here somewhere . . .
Thu 08 Apr, 2010 8:12 am
Thu 08 Apr, 2010 9:41 am
stepbystep wrote:My problem is that after long or unduly rough or 'crazy' walks I have suffered sore knees and ankles.
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