UGH Stairs!!!

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paddlemom
paddlemom Posts: 682 Member
in Motivation and Support
We just had a fire drill at work and I had to walk down 8 flights of stairs! I have severe osteoarthritis in my knees - I had the worse one of the two scoped a few months ago and the Dr. said that if I was older, he would do knee replacements. If you have bad knees you know that going DOWN stairs is harder than going up! My morning snack will now include 2 tylenol, an arthrotec and a nexium so it doesn't eat a hole through my stomach!

So, I am finding that losing weight and exercise is helping - at least I can go for walks around the block now. I swim 3X a week and now that the weather is warmer, I ride my bike as much as I can. (If you are super plus size and afraid to ride a bike, let me tell you the new "adult comfort bikes" are amazing!!!! -msg me and I will share the details.....)

Anyway, I know that everyone who has a lot to weight to lose and has pain in their knees finds relief with the weight loss but I woul like to hear from anyone out there who has lost lots of weight and had really bad osteoarthritis - like bone on bone, did losing the weight give you enough relief that you could enjoy walking again?

It's one of my major motivators - I am only 50 and my kids are grown, so now I would like to travel and do things with my hubby and right now it's just pointless since I can't get out there and enjoy a long day of walking around to see the sights!

Replies

  • paddlemom
    paddlemom Posts: 682 Member
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    We just had a fire drill at work and I had to walk down 8 flights of stairs! I have severe osteoarthritis in my knees - I had the worse one of the two scoped a few months ago and the Dr. said that if I was older, he would do knee replacements. If you have bad knees you know that going DOWN stairs is harder than going up! My morning snack will now include 2 tylenol, an arthrotec and a nexium so it doesn't eat a hole through my stomach!

    So, I am finding that losing weight and exercise is helping - at least I can go for walks around the block now. I swim 3X a week and now that the weather is warmer, I ride my bike as much as I can. (If you are super plus size and afraid to ride a bike, let me tell you the new "adult comfort bikes" are amazing!!!! -msg me and I will share the details.....)

    Anyway, I know that everyone who has a lot to weight to lose and has pain in their knees finds relief with the weight loss but I woul like to hear from anyone out there who has lost lots of weight and had really bad osteoarthritis - like bone on bone, did losing the weight give you enough relief that you could enjoy walking again?

    It's one of my major motivators - I am only 50 and my kids are grown, so now I would like to travel and do things with my hubby and right now it's just pointless since I can't get out there and enjoy a long day of walking around to see the sights!
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    I don't have ostero... but I have no cartilege in one knee, so it rubs bone on bone. It gave me problems at 185 and gave me problems at 297 but now at 243 it rarely bothers me at all - the difference being the muscles I've built, is the only explanation I have. It keeps the bones where they should be and they don't rub together. In fact I recently (this week) started wogging - walking/jogging in intervals - whoever thought I'd ever be able to run! I started out on the treadmill walking, using my knee brace, and could feel the muscles around my knees... then went out of the knee brace, started walking faster... moved to elliptical.. now wogging, eventually running for real.

    I'm not saying the same will be true for you... but it's definitely possible!
  • mgiroux
    mgiroux Posts: 14 Member
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    I know your feelings ladies.. I have had both my ACL's replaced and the menicus repaired a few times too. And now I have a little bit of Arthritisstarting in both knees. I lost a bunch of weight before I met my husband and now that I have had our first child I need to get back to the weight I was before. I hate going up stairs :grumble: and having sharp pains in my knees and it was starting in my ankles so I said enough is enough and I have been losing weight ever since. :happy:

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