Knee problems - arthritis

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Knee problems - arthritis

Postby thebunyans » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:36 pm

Well, I've stopped running pretty much for the last 3-4 months since my knees started giving me serious problems. I'm lucky enough to have medical insurance, so I got a referral to a orthopaedic surgeon and had a MRI scan.

Just got the results back and it looks as though I have "grade 4 chondromalacia patellar" due to "ongoing osteoarthritis" in both knees. Basically irritation caused by arthritis in the back of the patella.

Anybody else have a similar sort of problem? Doesn't seem to be a cure for it, I'm just getting old (well 47 isn't that old, but the doctor said the onset of arthritis is common at that age, just that most people don't go fell running...)

I'm assuming that if I do some strengthening exercises I could do some moderate running, but I was wondering if anyone else has had advice on the topic and how much it is realistic to keep running.

Sport wise I think I need to switch to more cycling and swimming maybe and lay off the fell running....
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Postby geofpet1 » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:29 pm

John, I have this in my left knee in particular. As you say its a wear n tear thing. The advice i have received is as follows:

- don't run on roads
- wear good (ie cushioned) shoes
- eat glucosamine
- stretch your quads
- don't over do it

i find the problem variabe and unpredicable from hardly notice it at all to cannot run at all. Unfortunately the days of knee pain are but a happy memory at the moment as i can only limp around because of my back. When my back is patched up i look forward to running again and reminding myself how many neurofen it takes to forget the knee...........
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Postby phil cheek » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:06 pm

John,
Your problem is not dissimilar to mine.
A patella band and orthotics have virtually solved my problem,for now at least,maybe you should try this.I can give you the name of the physio based at the BUPA hospital at Cheadle,who did my orthotics.
The process,though not the cost of the orthotics,was covered by BUPA.
Phil
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Postby BARRY BLYTH » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:37 pm

I seemed to have missed out on that stage and seem to suffer grade 4 chondromalacia of the right lobe in my pate (not patella) which explains my erratic route finding. Have had knee problems and found that avoiding hard surfaces/jarring descents (ie anything that creates inflammatory response) until the inflammation has gone. X train. I tend to use gym machines to avoid the impact. Pain killers will just hide the problem.

Barry
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Postby phil cheek » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:21 am

Is condrowhatsitin in a lobe of your pate a major issue.
I`ve just checked the fridge & I think I might have some in the mushroom pate,though thank god the foie gras looks ok.
Phil
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Postby Colin Ardron » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:40 pm

Foie gras, Foie gras!! What kind of poncey food is that?
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Postby phil cheek » Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:06 pm

I knew that would get a response.
It`s not poncey,just ask any poor goose that`s been forcefed mashed turnips for 2 months & then got arthritis.
Phil
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Postby Beneficial Dictator » Fri Feb 08, 2008 2:59 pm

Suspect Geoff posting above & I am not the only members who take Glucosamine Sulphate which is supposedly good for the joints. While we are on the subject I also take a Multi Mineral & Vitamin & Omega 3. I know lots of folk say if you eat a good diet you shouldn't need supplements. However those folk do not do the BG Round, Mountain Marathons, Long Fell Races etc... Don't expect an overnight change though, my experience suggests it takes at least a few weeks for levels to build up in the body.
Try & keep at it John & don't let doctors attitudes get you down.
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Postby thebunyans » Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:18 pm

I've been taking Glucosamine for quite a while now. Anyway, it's not the doctors that get me down, it's the pain from my knees. The consultant didn't really tell what to do, rather he told me what the damage was. Must admit, I didn't realise "grade 4" damage is the worst though...

I do think I need to look after them now, and I'm afraid that does mean sports other than running. I'm seeing a physio with all my scan results/consultant report on the 19th, so I'll see what they say.
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Postby david tucker » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:59 pm

My advice on how to delay such things:-
Eat glucosamine - cheap from Healthy direct
Keep your weight down - direct relationship between weight / wear
Don't run every day - allow your joints to recover
Have a hot bath after a run to allow optimum blood flow for cartilage re-modelling.
Don't inherit the wrong genes that predispose to OA.
Don't get old
Don't participate in sports that induce severe twisting/injury of the joints such as football.
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Postby phil cheek » Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:47 pm

Hot bath,surely not,ICE not heat to get the inflammation down.
And if you`ve got the arthritis it`s surely too late for Glucosamine/chondroitin.
Phil
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Postby thebunyans » Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:17 am

I don't think anybody really knows how effective Glucosamine is and whether it prevents/slows down the degeneration and/or is a form of pain relief.

Yeah, I don't think a hot bath is good if you have swelling, icing would be far better. Then once the swelling has gone down, heat/massage etc would be good for blood flow etc.
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Postby Beneficial Dictator » Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:09 pm

Well all ways round John you have my smypathy & I really hope you can work out a way of managing your arthritis etc.. problem . Besides the club can't afford to loose your website skills.
Hope you can make it out on a Wednesday night soon when I will most certainly buy you a pint which will no doubt have great medicinal value.
Cheers for now. Craig.
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Postby DominicTook » Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:11 pm

Hi guys,

I've picked up a knee injury myself. Started two weeks ago and I think it's the libiatibial band? I'm not sure if I spelled that right. Just went out for a three mile run, fairly soft ground, gravel and mud track also very flat. But after a mile it's come back again.

I'm getting really severe pain on the outside of the left knee cap where I think the band joins the cap (i'll have to chek again in a moment.). It looks like a few months of rest and with a half marathon in October that doesn't make me feel very good.
I can't walk for a few days if I really push it (Not that I've done that).

Any advice? I know more people have knee problems than shin splints/achilles problems so i'm hoping with this one someone can help. Tiger Balm doesn't touch the problem either! lol. So it's certainly the bone that's affected.

Jon's already given me some advice, just looking to see if anyone has had this and what recovery time was.

By the way, is it worth wearing a tubegrip around the knee while running? Or will that just weaken it overall?

Thanks,

Dom
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Postby phil cheek » Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:30 pm

Dominic,
i don`t think tubigrip will help.Get ice on it & brufen in you to get the inflammation down & above all get yourself to a good physio asap.I swear by John Griffiths in Macc,he 7 his father before him have kept me nearly in 1 piece for 30 years.
Phil
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