I'm surprised that dehydration after hours of hard work hasn't been mentioned as a source of discomfort.
Drinking water, lots of it, every single day, will really help.
AB
How do you cope with impaired mobility?
by compound complex 30 Replies latest social entertainment
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Hortensia
Hard physical work does damage your joints over a long period of time. I have bad knees, from a fall many years ago, from a job where I stood and walked 8 hours a day for nearly 30 years, and from being overweight.
I agree with bsmart -- I have lost weight and I've had the shots. First I had the cortisone shots, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone because of the side effects. Then I had the hyalgan shots -- that's the rooster comb stuff -- and it helps. It took three shots and some time but eventually it helped. It's 30 seconds of misery and about six months or more of relief, definitely worth doing.
I couldn't exercise much before the shots, but now I'm up to 30 to 45 minutes of walking at a time without my cane! I think I probably can manage without surgery if I keep losing weight, walking and getting the shots as needed. I'm so thrilled about it, too -- last year I could barely walk at all, this year I can walk much more.
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LisaRose
I highly recommend the book "trigger point therapy workbook" for anyone having physical issues. There are sore spots throughout the body that get aggravated by excess physical work, injury or fibromyalgia. This book tells you how to track down these spots and deactivate them yourself. They tell you how the point got aggravated and what you can do to deactivate them.
I have arthritic knees, especially one that had an old injury and surgery. I found two spots that I didn't know about, I worked on them and my pain is much less with no anti inflamatories. These spots are very small, about the size of a quarter. This book has been a godsend to me, it's the best $20 I ever spent. I had been having knee pain for months and within a day of hitting those spots it went away.
I believe that the hard work does not do you harm, because with exercise you must use it or lose it. The more active you can be, within reason, the better off you will be. Of course overwork is not good and you must do proper stretching and use good posture and use the proper techniques with any repetitive motions or any heavy lifting.
I also have had success with something called D-Ribose, it's a powder. It's been shown to help people with fibromyalgia. Fibro is a condition where you have multiple trigger points (sore spots), and fatigue. I do have problems if I do too much. Last week I worked in the garden, my half hour project ended up a four hour project, stooping and bending. The next day I was unable to do anything, I was so stiff and sore, my thighs were the worst. But I am usually OK if I vary what I do, stretch before and after and take my d-Ribose.
I also take a long hot bath each day with plenty of Epsom salts. This helps pull some of the lactic acid out of the muscles. You should also talk to your doctor about taking a tricyclic antidepressant, Amitriptilyne, it has been shown to help people with chronic pain, it helps you sleep better. The main drawback is that it causes weight gain. Fibro and/or pain can be a result of poor quality or not enough sleep, so if you can do anything to improve that it will help your muscle pain.
A good quality percussion massager is very useful, I got mine at Brookstone for around $100, but you can also use a tennis ball, or something called a theracane, you can use to hit the problem areas in your back.
Hope that helps
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snowbird
Oh, I forgot the water.
Thanks, Anne.
I also try to eat a lemon each day.
This really helps.
Sylvia
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compound complex
Thank you, dear friends, for all your kind words and helpful advice.
I hope to respond later after I rest up from work. My intent has been that the information and personal experiences posted on this thread should help us as we age yet endeavor to remain positive in our thinking. You all seem very upbeat in your outlook, and I'm grateful for that!
Love and peace,
CoCo
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jgnat
Astute as ever, CoCo.
I heard from a nurse that the debilitating hip fractures in old age may not all be because of frail bones. Lack of exercise and stretching can tighten the ligaments to the point where they snap the bone.
We were always meant to stay active. Not overdo it of course, especially when recovering from an injury, but staying on the move, being limber.
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LV101
Some really important info. This growing old isn't for sissys. I was walking in early a.m. (not too much but more than what I've done in the past yr) because of the heat temperatures and it's not easy rising that early. Plus, I think with all the normal/daily routine on my feet I over did something. Talk about achey legs and a tad dizzy. Sometimes too much wires me and I can't go to sleep - lack of sleep throws me off at this stage of the game. Always something. Back to square one and it's discouraging.
Ahh, missed some posts above and need to learn more here.
Thanks for starting topic, Coco - I appreciate.
jgnat (re hip fractures) - my friend is the walker of walkers (OMG - she's a fanatic and has been for many yrs.) - she's 69/70 and had a hip fracture couple of yrs. ago. Her orthopod told her it was from repetitive movement (the walking) and she didn't want surgery and had to eliminate all exercise for 4 - 6 mos. and rest it to heal. The minute it was well she was up to 3 miles in a week or so. She's so very healthy. She had a gall stone over yr. ago and it took several surgeries to blast/break up and the staff at hospital repeatedly told her she was in incredible health. I've seen her out walking in winds so high she'd be stopped for a few seconds shielding herself and turning her head from ongoing wind thrust just to carry on - I've come home at night after 9:00 and have seen her out walking with a soft cast on her foot - seriously - she'd broken her ankle and had been down limited time. She's coached her husband to start walking with casts on his foot (achilles tendon major problem) - I've witnessed with my own eyes. He's a fanatic, also, but she told me she had him up to 3 miles within a week. I don't know how they weather the heat and do their 8:00 pm routine in the summer mos - she (they) must do double walking in her morning shifts. Plus he lifts weights at home and she does yoga and pilates w/machines.
She told me if they go out in the evening socializing they walk when they return home - midnight/whatever - and here I sit typing and now it's too hot to go outside and walk. Talk about a slug!
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JWdaughter
I am realizing that I can make a difference in some of the issues that I have been accepting. I am going to be working with Dr. and nutritionist to improve my balance and hopefully my strength (they will work together). I cope with it, it has been sneaking up to me and life has been so 'busy' that I neglected myself because I didn't want to take the time. That was STUPID.
I am not even 50 and have issues that elderly people have that are not necessary. My husband encourages me to take better care and seeing my mom age,I know I need to-if only so that I can help HER. Plus my husband is older than I am-he is in MUCH better health, but still, he is retirement age and should be able to count on ME, too. So, two people I love are my "why". I am tired of coping by "dealing with" my weakness and limitations. I want to be strong.
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nancy drew
What a drag it is getting old. I take vitamins and oils and eat right no gluten and I wish I could exercise more but my knees hurt alot everyday. i really don't want knee surgery although there are some new stem cell proedures out there. Pain can really make it difficult to live.
