Aaargh- knee pain

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ToffeeApple71
ToffeeApple71 Posts: 117 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Not looking for advice really...just wanted to vent! Haven't been able to walk or run this week because my knee has flared up. Tried a bike ride, that was a "no". Tried a swim, that also was a "no". So I've done two upper body workouts and that's all. It's been ages since my knee was this bad and I'd forgotten how irksome it was!

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  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I’ve got a spare cartilage in a jar of formaldehyde hanging around somewhere if that’s any use for you?

    It's a bit chewed up though. :neutral:

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    I hear you. My knees have been bad enough, long enough, that mostly I know what to do to avoid flares, or to nurse them along pretty effectively when they do happen . . . but that's very individualized, in specifics.

    I 100% get that it's frustrating, though. Not sure how far along you are with this stuff, but it seems like the stronger and more flexible I get, the fewer problems I have . . . mostly.

    But it still stinks, when it happens; and it does sometimes. Sympathies!
  • ToffeeApple71
    ToffeeApple71 Posts: 117 Member
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    @sijomial thanks...but no thanks! Wouldn't it be great to be able to insert new cartilage?
  • ToffeeApple71
    ToffeeApple71 Posts: 117 Member
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    @AnnPT77 flare-ups for me are completely random. I'm lighter and fitter than I've been for years and the flare-ups have definitely reduced since losing weight. However, I can't work out what causes them. I can run four days in a row and be fine, or I can go for a gentle walk and have a flare-up. There's no rhyme or reason. I'm pretty good at nursing them along but it does get frustrating 😤
  • I2k4
    I2k4 Posts: 180 Member
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    I think the first thing is to try to find out what's causing problems then look into the right thing for that. A few years ago left knee went from pain running sometimes to walking around all the time before I dealt with it - common patellar tendonitis. The kneecap riding its little bone railroad track gets pulled off by unbalanced hip and ankle muscles anchored to the knee, friction causes inflammation. SIngle plane workouts and cardio worsened the knee, some pilates-style hip and ankle strengthening fixed it, to where I'm pain free and doing weighted single leg squats, etc. routinely. There are much more serious cartilage and bone conditions that would not be so easily dealt with, it's best to know what's what and govern oneself accordingly.
  • jwoolman5
    jwoolman5 Posts: 191 Member
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    My knees are genetically wonky and problems started at age 12. Haven't been able to run since then.

    As an adult, I eventually discovered glucosamine and that really does help me heal when I've accidentally abused the knee (clumsy) and taken regularly, it seems to prevent most problems. I saw an effect within two or three weeks of starting it during a bad episode that had lingered for months and had been getting worse. It's supposed to help promote building new cartilage but haven't kept up with research so don't know current thinking about it. It's often taken with chondroitin, but I only take the glucosamine since chondroitin bothers my stomach for some reason.

    I also have Velcro-fastened wraparound knee braces that I use when the problem is acute. They aren't perfect (or I'm just bad at using them), but they make enough of a difference that I am able to walk around much better. I also think that they keep me from doing something stupid again, especially twisting the knee, just by making me more aware of the knee.

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