Managing your knee, hip, or back pain
MidModJenn
Posts: 216 Member
I'd love advice from anyone who has chronic knee, hip, or back pain and is able to 1. manage their pain and 2. still be active despite it. This past Fall I started PT because the back of both my knees would hurt terribly when I would go up or down stairs... over the past 3 months, the PT has helped me get stronger (yay!) but the pain has now spread to my hips, lower back, and sometimes groin (boo). My PT therapists and Ortho are stymied, so we're trying to figure out what could be going on. If I take Advil 2x/day and stay in front of the pain, I feel pretty good... but I hate that I've had to take it for so long. And if I skip a dose, I'm hobbling around in horrible pain. I'm working to lose weight to get some of the pressure off as well, but obviously it's tough to lose when you're worried about hurting yourself more from exercising. So -- if you have knee, hip, or back problems, how do you manage it enough to exercise?
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Replies
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Having a good daily stretching routine is a good start.1
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My pain comes from muscle tightness usually, so stretching and decompression exercises is the first step. It also sounds like your knees are trying to hyper extend, at least that is my impression by where the pain is, so try not locking them when you straighten them in your day to day life. I also find an occasional muscle relaxant and a hot shower to help with hip and back pain. You may consider some yoga to try and loosen the hip muscles and to help realign your posture and strengthen your core.1
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By choosing the exercises that don't aggravate my injuries - cycling and strength training mostly.
By modifying my exercise to account for my many knee and back injuries - I need to be cautious of big vertical loads on my back, impact to one knee, side to side flexing on the other. So I might do overhead press one handed to halve the vertical load or seated to partially reduce loads on my lumbar spine, deads and squats are very limited and often counter productive rather than a benefit, leg press is limited by knee going bone on bone rather than strength so I respect that limit. I cycle with cleated shoes to help keep joints in line, I limit standing cycling.
By keeping my core and stability muscles strong. Took a lot of patience and time to get there from a low start point.
By keeping my weight down (that's primarily diet, exercise is a minor player in that).
By severely limiting exercise that does aggravate my injuries (running primarily).
By managing pain and soreness, learning what is damaging and what isn't.
Patience and progression are key, push but sensibly, learn what works and doesn't work.
Seems to be working as I'm 7 years past predicted date of total knee replacement and avoided the spinal fusion surgery that I was told was imminent 10 years ago.
Advil/ibuprofen may not be the best choice for prolonged regular use, seek professional advice on that.
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I have bone on bone knee pain due to osteoarthritis and am getting a knee replacement this summer.
That was part of the impetus to get my act together and loose weight.
I've lost 84 lbs since April 2017 (I have 45 more lbs to go)
Unfortunately the knee pain is still pretty constant.
My orthopedic Dr has indicated there isn't much you can do once it's bone on bone.
I've had two cortisone shots in it which have helped immensely..... until it wears off.
And I use a prescribed pain med when it gets too bad.
I can now walk daily, row, bike, even snowshoe - but it still hurts like hell - I'm just getting used to it but can hardly wait for the replacement surgery.
As long as I'm careful (low impact) I can't really make it worse and my mental health is 1000% better when I can stay active.
Not to mention it helping in the weight loss.
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Had my right knee replaced in November and my left knee goes the end of February. Prior to the first surgery, Naproxen twice a day was what kept me mobile. I started rowing last March in order to lose weight and strengthen my legs for surgery. It's about the only exercise that actually reduced the pain in my knees while I was doing it. I'm back to it now to re-strengthen my legs for the next surgery, and I'll be doing it again once I've recovered just because I enjoy it so much.2
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Just popping in to remind you that you can lose weight by eating at a calorie deficit. You don't have to exercise to lose weight, although I highly recommend finding exercise you can do for strength and fitness and to minimize muscle loss while losing. I know pain is tough to handle and make you feel like you need to eat even though you don't. If weight is contributing to your pain, I encourage you to make eating management a high priority. There are lots of resources and lots of knowledgeable people, e on this site to help you do that.3
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What @lorrpb said.
I have hip, knee, AND lower back pain. PT helps but you HAVE to take it home and keep doing the exercises.
I have a tennis ball I sit on/roll around for hip and lower back pain.
Losing weight HAS helped with the hip pain.
Get up and walk around. My knee gets really stiff if I sit at my desk for more than an hour at a time.
A strong core will help with lower back pain. Strong glutes will help with hip stability. Stretch A LOT. Small movements throughout the day add up.
Good luck and feel better!!6 -
I have had hip and lower back pain for years, accompanied by sciatic pain down both legs to shins and ankles. I couldn't sleep at night due to the throbbing in my lower legs. Result - no exercise, too much food for idle body = 20lbs regained. After several referrals to hip and pain specialists someone finally referred me to a physio and after 2 sessions I was unbelievable better. It was determined that my piriformis muscle (both sides?) had gone into spasm and was impinging on my sciatic nerve. The physio looked at my feet first and said that my arches had fallen, especially on one foot and that she believed my gait had been so affected that my muscles were suffering. She recommended insoles for my shoes and stretched (quite literally) me from neck down to feet and I have been virtually pain free since. I had a couple of deep massage sessions with her and I do stretch using her recommended exercises every morning and evening and now I can walk, swim and dance freely. Long flights/car journeys are a bit of an issue, I can feel the muscles deep in my backside tightening but it was recommended I do lots of sitting pelvic tilts while travelling and it has def helped. Flying to Australia next week so will see how a 24+hr journey goes. Might feel a bit strange to do tilts while sitting on a crowded plane but I'm too old to care about image You can download piriformis stretches off internet - hubby also downloaded some excellent knee exercises as he has knee pain. 2
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I have a lot of hip and lower back pain. It usually feels like I want to rest it but I know it only gets better when I stretch and strengthen it. Losing a couple lbs to relieve the stress on it helps too.2
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I am in horrific hip pain and cannot exercise (PT made me so much worse, my bouts of crazy pain are practically none now that I stopped and don't take stairs (eg no weight on the bad leg).
I take a lot of supplements to keep the pain where I can still go to work and pretend I'm okay and seem normal on the outside. I started on Osteo-Biflex (glucosamine and chondroiten) and it didn't seem to do much though on it's own. I added in Tumeric and Bromelain together and they are doing a wonderful job. I tried Rx Aleve (Naproxin) and it didn't do anything, I tried another Rx and it worked wonders but gave me migraines, I'm on my third Rx and it is going okay but really think the Tumeric and Bromelain are wonderful. Good luck to you!0 -
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NYRangers1130 wrote: »I am in horrific hip pain and cannot exercise (PT made me so much worse, my bouts of crazy pain are practically none now that I stopped and don't take stairs (eg no weight on the bad leg).
I take a lot of supplements to keep the pain where I can still go to work and pretend I'm okay and seem normal on the outside. I started on Osteo-Biflex (glucosamine and chondroiten) and it didn't seem to do much though on it's own. I added in Tumeric and Bromelain together and they are doing a wonderful job. I tried Rx Aleve (Naproxin) and it didn't do anything, I tried another Rx and it worked wonders but gave me migraines, I'm on my third Rx and it is going okay but really think the Tumeric and Bromelain are wonderful. Good luck to you!
Have you had an official diagnosis?
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I injured my back in fall of 2016. I did months of chiropractor visits followed by months of physical therapy. The PT and stretching helped (and added half an inch to my height!), but what has made the most difference has been lifting weights. I've been lifting 2x a week since last June. Started squats with 10lbs and now do 100. I also do more challenging stretches (like ballerinas do) which have improved my flexibility in my back. I have also had to train myself to only sleep on my back with a pillow under my knees. The pain got worse before it got better but is the best it's been since my injury. I am careful with warmups and stretching after I exercise (I figure skate 4-5x a week). I'm 41 and have always been at a healthy weight but have only been an athlete for about 6years.3
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I had a lifetime of horse related injuries and worked on my feet all day for 40 years. My knees were so bad I had to hobble up or down stairs and when I stood up I'd hobble a few steps before I could stand up. I started the New Rules programs, thinking step ups and split squats were going to be the end of me but I'd try anyway....my knees got better immediately! My back stopped hurting and I felt years younger. It's been four years of Lou Schuler workouts and I'll never stop. My advice to you is to order a New Rules book and pick up the weights2
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I have back pain, Dr said to stay active. When I miss too many days of exercising it gets really tight. I avoid any exercises that aggravates it (jogging, overhead squats, & snatches). I also use a heated pad at night.0
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I have bone-on-bone arthritis. I have had shots (euflexxa lasted 2 months). I currently can not put weight on my left leg causing the inability to walk up and down stairs (I live in a 2 story house and my classroom is on the second floor).
I am finding that exercise does help; especially yoga. I am too young to get knees replaced. Losing weight will help--so I hope.
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I'm 63 and have OA. I've had it for a long time, and sometimes it's very painful. I stretch first thing 3 times a week, swim 3 times a week, do water aerobics 3 times a week, yoga once a week, and gym stuff once a week, plus alot of walking. I have to keep moving or I become rigid. However, I manage my pain without painkillers, unless I've overdone a workout or started a new one. Being active is the best thing for my problem. After a couple of days without my exercises, the pain returns. Swimming is important for me. Try different things and see what works for you.1
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motivatedmartha wrote: »NYRangers1130 wrote: »I am in horrific hip pain and cannot exercise (PT made me so much worse, my bouts of crazy pain are practically none now that I stopped and don't take stairs (eg no weight on the bad leg).
I take a lot of supplements to keep the pain where I can still go to work and pretend I'm okay and seem normal on the outside. I started on Osteo-Biflex (glucosamine and chondroiten) and it didn't seem to do much though on it's own. I added in Tumeric and Bromelain together and they are doing a wonderful job. I tried Rx Aleve (Naproxin) and it didn't do anything, I tried another Rx and it worked wonders but gave me migraines, I'm on my third Rx and it is going okay but really think the Tumeric and Bromelain are wonderful. Good luck to you!
Have you had an official diagnosis?
I have. I need a full hip replacement, probably on both sides but I'm 'too young' so I'm to live (more like exist) like this for a while longer.0 -
I have bone-on-bone arthritis. I have had shots (euflexxa lasted 2 months). I currently can not put weight on my left leg causing the inability to walk up and down stairs (I live in a 2 story house and my classroom is on the second floor).
I am finding that exercise does help; especially yoga. I am too young to get knees replaced. Losing weight will help--so I hope.
I really recommend the tumeric and bromelein supplements, I take two a day (of each so 4 total). I have what you have (and grew bone spurs) and have torn cartilage that limits pretty much every kind of movement or weight bearing anything, the cortisone shot barely did anything. The supplements have made a good dent in being able to at least function in life.0 -
I have (had?) knee pain and instability and a history of chronic back pain. The only thing that has really helped my back pain is core strength and stability. For me that means I try to swim twice a week as that is the one thing I can consistently do that helps.
The knee stuff, instability and pain, was more complicated. I ended up needing surgery due to congenital knee abnormalities, the fourth of which was 8 weeks ago (two per knee). The thing that has helped with that, save for surgery, has been PT. As someone else mentioned (and as any PT would point out) - it's really important to do your exercises at home. Both my knee issues and back issues are why my main form of exercise is cycling (I mean I also just love it so there's that), though what eventually convinced both me and my surgeon that surgery as necessary was pain and instability while cycling (and eventually while walking up stairs) despite a comprehensive bike fit and a ton of PT.1 -
In my opinion to keep your joints healthy you have to keep working them.
impact
rotation
full range of motion
developing the muscles around the joints
Are you going to go through periods of pain?
Hell yeah.
But your joints are going to get stronger to te point of not being a problem any more.
3 Years ago, i could barely walk a mile at a slow pace without having to go lay down and feeling like i was dyeing. My ankles, shins, knees, hips, and back where killing me. And my heart and lungs felt like they where going to explode.
I was obese at the time, but I kept at it, and started power walking. If I my joints hurt then I power limped. Over time all my joints got stronger and I worked my way up to being able to power walk at a 4.5 mph pace for over 10 miles.
After a couple years I found it was hard to keep my heart rate in the cardio zone just power walking, so I tried running. I started too fast and hurt my knee, so I went back to power limping until my knee fully healed up (3 to 4 weeks). I started running slowly and could only run for about 30 seconds at first. I kept at it and over the past year have worked my way up to running 5 miles non stop at a slow pace.
My joints have gotten a lot stronger and now they don't bother me at all now (aside from normal fatigue from intense workouts). I felt like my joints have developed to the point where I started running intervals. I run hard for 30 seconds to 1 minute and power walk for 2 to 4 minutes, and repeat for 3.8 to 5.5 miles depending on which route I do.
I am 60 years old.
You have to push your body in order for it to repair itself. The trick is to not cross the threshold between pain and injury.
But you gotta push yourself to improve.
JMHO.8 -
NYRangers1130 wrote: »motivatedmartha wrote: »NYRangers1130 wrote: »I am in horrific hip pain and cannot exercise (PT made me so much worse, my bouts of crazy pain are practically none now that I stopped and don't take stairs (eg no weight on the bad leg).
I take a lot of supplements to keep the pain where I can still go to work and pretend I'm okay and seem normal on the outside. I started on Osteo-Biflex (glucosamine and chondroiten) and it didn't seem to do much though on it's own. I added in Tumeric and Bromelain together and they are doing a wonderful job. I tried Rx Aleve (Naproxin) and it didn't do anything, I tried another Rx and it worked wonders but gave me migraines, I'm on my third Rx and it is going okay but really think the Tumeric and Bromelain are wonderful. Good luck to you!
Have you had an official diagnosis?
I have. I need a full hip replacement, probably on both sides but I'm 'too young' so I'm to live (more like exist) like this for a while longer.
Sorry too hear that - it's the pits. My sister had a double knee replacement in her 50's and,after nearly 20 years has just had to have a revision on one. Apparently they can only do the revision once so I guess that's why they want you to wait.0 -
I thought this was a really interesting article on the topic on managing pain and the science of it.
https://gmb.io/pain/0 -
I have some really difficult joint pain. I find that I have to keep moving. Resting is not helpful for me. The longer I sit (in a car, on the couch, anywhere...) the harder it is to get up and get started again. Mornings are the pits. I feel best when I've had an active day (walking, hiking, biking, skiing), and worst when I've rested.
I do take regular naproxen and turmeric supplements which seem to have improved things.
Good luck. And don't just sit around! You won't regret it!0 -
I have femeroacetabular impingement syndrome in my left hip. This means that my sockets are abnormally deep and additionally I have a bump on my femur which catches on the socket. It causes constant pain and fatigue. I take 2 naproxen a day and paracetamol when needed. I am still pretty active, I train at the gym regularly, have just started yoga and a dance class. I find the best thing is to know my current limitations and work around them. There are certain movements that I have to avoid but it doesn’t stop me working hard to strengthen everything. I’m currently waiting for surgery to correct the problem which should free up the joint and get rid of the pain.0
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I've had torn meniscus in both knees since my late teens. REALLY started to bother me in my late 20's. PT had me start doing a LOT of balance work - anything to engage the smaller stabilizing muscles. As long as I've kept that up, knee issues are very well managed.
Just over a year ago now had a pretty decent pilon fracture (a fx where the upper part of the ankle joint - aka the bottom end/weight bearing surface of the tibia, shatters). That is finally able to handle gym workouts again, but I eased into it - worked first with PT then with a trainer, and now am back to "full" workouts (most days - it still has limits, but that's a moving target ATM). That leg feels better the more I'm working it.
Knowing my knee history I started with balance work almost as soon as I could tolerate it after being allowed to weight bear as I knew that would be essential to keeping my knees from acting up while rehabbing the rest of that leg. They are holding up quite well at this point, although earlier in my weight bearing they did act up for a bit before I could really start doing any balance work.2 -
Definitely keep up with PT. Foam roller has helped me for knee, back & hip pain along with stretching.
Good luck!0 -
You guys are amazing. Thank you for sharing your stories! It gives me hope that I can eventually overcome (or at least manage) the situation. Just in the couple of days since I first posted, I've been doing more stretching and it seems to help a bit. Baby steps!2
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OldAssDude wrote: »In my opinion to keep your joints healthy you have to keep working them.
impact
rotation
full range of motion
developing the muscles around the joints
Are you going to go through periods of pain?
Hell yeah.
But your joints are going to get stronger to te point of not being a problem any more.
3 Years ago, i could barely walk a mile at a slow pace without having to go lay down and feeling like i was dyeing. My ankles, shins, knees, hips, and back where killing me. And my heart and lungs felt like they where going to explode.
I was obese at the time, but I kept at it, and started power walking. If I my joints hurt then I power limped. Over time all my joints got stronger and I worked my way up to being able to power walk at a 4.5 mph pace for over 10 miles.
After a couple years I found it was hard to keep my heart rate in the cardio zone just power walking, so I tried running. I started too fast and hurt my knee, so I went back to power limping until my knee fully healed up (3 to 4 weeks). I started running slowly and could only run for about 30 seconds at first. I kept at it and over the past year have worked my way up to running 5 miles non stop at a slow pace.
My joints have gotten a lot stronger and now they don't bother me at all now (aside from normal fatigue from intense workouts). I felt like my joints have developed to the point where I started running intervals. I run hard for 30 seconds to 1 minute and power walk for 2 to 4 minutes, and repeat for 3.8 to 5.5 miles depending on which route I do.
I am 60 years old.
You have to push your body in order for it to repair itself. The trick is to not cross the threshold between pain and injury.
But you gotta push yourself to improve.
JMHO.
You pretty much nailed what I was going to say. I'm in fairly good shape now despite my behavior in my 30s and early 40s. I blew an ACL out in college (playing pick up basketball) and didn't have health insurance (or the money because I paid for my last three years of college myself) to fix it. Not having an ACL isn't the worst thing in the world, I thought, but you have to give up start and stop athletics completely and you have to REALLY watch what you do.
Well, I stopped smoking in my early 30s, got a desk job and went from 160 to 220 within 3 or four years. I'd have periods where I would workout and lose a little and then gain it back.
Stupidly, I offered to coach my son's 7th grade BB team. We taught them zone press and before I knew it, I was playing (obese and all) with the kids. I had a knee brace and thought it was OK until my knee nearly went out a couple of times. I got a bit smarter, I thought, and stopped running with them. Then one day, without the brace, I was teaching them a zone defense and it just went. When I say "went", the doc in Cincy that does 300 plus knee surgeries a year said it was the most "catastrophic event" he'd seen that year. I dislocated the knee, sheared the meniscus off the bone and tore the other ligaments. I not only couldn't walk, I couldn't bend it. After the first surgery, the doc closed me up. I woke up to my wife crying in recovery, telling me he wanted to do a knee replacement (at 41).
Lucky for me, I was "too young" at that time even though the two docs looking at my knee debated for a month. We decided to just fix the ACL, do microfracture surgery (drill a bunch of little holes in the knee and pray meniscus spontaneously grows back) and do rehab. My rehab insurance, 20 appointments, ran out when I was able to finally bare weight in great pain. Wasn't close to walking much less standing well.
What I learned in therapy, though, was hard work and that joints like movement. What saved my knee was the periods of lifting (even when I was heavy) maintaining my muscles around the knee. I started on my own rehab on Stationary Bikes. Did that for a few months. Got to the point I went from 100 steps to 3 miles a day. I limped for nearly 3 years. But I got stronger and stronger. I started Spinning Classes. The first one, the instructor came up to me after class and said "I was worried about you, you were 'white knuckling it'". Within a year or two, I was stronger than nearly every instructor. On a whim, I saw if I could jog. I found, to my surprise, that I could. Not fast mind you but I didn't fall flat on my face (like early in my rehab one time when I forgot I couldn't jog!). I started with 100 steps and within 2 years I was doing 7 mile steep trail races (averaging 10 minute miles on steep terrain).
My running days are mostly over now, I've lost 60 lbs and kept it off for four years. Unfortunately, Chronic Runner's knee (in my darn "good knee") wouldn't stop, so I finally had to give it up. I took up indoor rowing in rehab and loved it. Next weekend, I'm traveling to Indianapolis for an Indoor "Regatta" because there's no one left competing at my age in Cincinnati that can race me any longer.
I'm 53 years old, 16% body fat. I can bench over 200 pounds now and deadlift 1 and a half times my weight (not a lot but considering that I couldn't leg press 10 lbs for two years with my one leg, I'll take that). I'm closing in on a 7:15 2K time rowing on a Concept2 (which puts me around 80th percentile of the rowers in world at my age). My goal is when I'm 55 to go to the World Indoor Rowing competition and place in the top 10 in the world. My Vo2 Max is like a 20 year old's now.
Same crappy knee. Eleven years ago I was told it needed replaced "desperately". Actually, the last time I saw my knee doc, he was saying if I kept limping as bad as I was that I'd also need a hip replacement! Losing weight, minimizing sugar, limiting processed foods (I'm gluten/dairy free which helps a lot with that), lots of Omega3s, Glucosamine/Chondroitin, eating tons of colorful vegetables, lean proteins and MOVEMENT most of all. Staying away from NSAIDs is important too. I take Curcumin and Omega3s -- no prescriptions, no Tylenol or Advil (unless I've got a headache or fever). I even juice 3/4 times a week with Turmeric Root and Ginger. Green Beans are fantastic for your joints (one of the best forms of absorbable Silica, which helps you produce your own collagen (I don't do bone broth, green beans are superior). \
I also got broadsided at 22 going 65 (T-Boned), so my neck is crap too, at least according to doctors. Working out/lifting has also taken the pain out of that as well. Rowing has helped that tremendously. It's amazing what rowing does for your back/neck pains because it compliments all the forward head leaning we do on computers and electronic devices.
Tai Chi is wonderful if you can't do anything else. Your body, your joints absolutely need movement. Stationary bike is also great. If you're careful, so is the rower. Like someone said, lose the weight with diet and your joints will thank you. Move more and they will thank you even more.2
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