Osteoarthritis

[VicW]

The Osteopath I use to keep my back straight has given me a whole load of exercises to do to keep my hips and knees and back more mobile and the exercises work.

The onset of arthritis has been held at bay either by the exercises,the supplements or both.

Vic.

 

[Nick Selby]

the exercises are the answer....http://shp.missouri.edu/vhct/case2100/evidence.htm

:yes: :yes:

 

[Growl]

1500Mg of Glucosamine sulfate, 1500Mg Cod liver oil each day, see a good physio/osteopath for an excersise plan, swimming helps as it is a supported excersise, I find Ibuprofen taken regular can help but can be rough on the old guts, but the advice about dropping to a 21g load is sound, hope you see some improvement Wyn, all the best, Growl

 

[wynno]

A huge thank you to all that have given advice, the general consenus seems to be exercise, pain killers when required and joint supplements,.... So with that in mind

I'm going to lay off shooting for the next month or so, (though i'm still going to be reffing fitasc shoots) See the physio and take the tablets as and when.

Thanks to all :thumbsu:

 

[RobertBeard]

I was prescribed Co-codamol for my arthritis. It is a mixture of Paracetamol and Codeine and comes in various strengths of Paracetamol content.

The lowest strength worked for me and I now take it only occasionally.

I don't think it is advisable to take two painkillers at the same time,such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen,without  medical advice.

I started taking supplements for arthritis and reckon they work for me.

I take Glucosamine and Calcium and Omega 3 Oil. They take at least a month to become effective but,like I said they seem to work for me

Good Luck,

Vic.

Vic

I have had a number of scenarios where I have been advised to take both paracetamol and ibuprofen.  Both these drugs come from different groups and can be taken together without a problem.  Ibuprofen can be a little harsh on the stomach and needs to be taken after food.  My son is also a pharmacist and says that these two are ok taken together provided that they suit you and you have no other problems like stomach ulcers so to that extent you need some medical advice but thereafter both are available from a pharmacist without a prescription which is convenient if you develop pain and can't get to the doc for whatever reason.

 

[VicW]

Thanks for that Robert.

Ibuprofen tablets and aspirin are a no-no for me as I have a slightly inflamed area in my stomach and a hiatus hernia although I can use ibuprofen cream on muscle strains for a while although I find an ice pack followed by a heat blanket work better..

As the Rolling Stones said, 'Ain't it all a drag getting old '

Vic.

 

[Nick Selby]

Ibuprofen gel is good if you have a dodgy gut.

 

[T.C.]

Arthritis is a cumulative degenerative condition. It gets worse with time even though the symptoms may seem to come and go. Pain is nature's warning that something is wrong. Beware of over reliance on painkillers/anti-inflammatories , they help with the pain but the condition continues.The best analogy I can think of is to think of a smoke alarm. If the house is on fire an the smoke alarm is sounding and you remove the smoke alarm battery, it will stop the noise, but the fire will not be affected.

 

[Nick Selby]

Arthritis is a cumulative degenerative condition. It gets worse with time even though the symptoms may seem to come and go. Pain is nature's warning that something is wrong. Beware of over reliance on painkillers/anti-inflammatories , they help with the pain but the condition continues.The best analogy I can think of is to think of a smoke alarm. If the house is on fire an the smoke alarm is sounding and you remove the smoke alarm battery, it will stop the noise, but the fire will not be affected.

I have probably mentioned this before but I always advise initial pain relief as pain can and often does inhibit movement and muscle strength. Pain is always likely to be present with OA but the key is to maintainimprove muscle strength and keep the joint as strong as possible to slow down the degenerative process......exercise is the best thing for OA and sometimes pain relief is necessary to enable a person to exercise..

 

[T.C.]

I have probably mentioned this before but I always advise initial pain relief as pain can and often does inhibit movement and muscle strength. Pain is always likely to be present with OA but the key is to maintainimprove muscle strength and keep the joint as strong as possible to slow down the degenerative process......exercise is the best thing for OA and sometimes pain relief is necessary to enable a person to exercise..

Surely there is a difference between beneficial exercise and subjecting an arthritic joint to the trauma of recoil?

 

[Nick Selby]

Surely there is a difference between beneficial exercise and subjecting an arthritic joint to the trauma of recoil?

It is very subjective and totally dependent on how bad the arthritis is. Only an x-ray can tell you how bad it is, so it shouldn't be a blanket rule that having OA means no shooting...It is amazing what the human body can put up with....

 

[T.C.]

It is very subjective and totally dependent on how bad the arthritis is. Only an x-ray can tell you how bad it is, so it shouldn't be a blanket rule that having OA means no shooting...It is amazing what the human body can put up with....

I would have thought that putting up with something is rather different from avoiding further degeneration in an arthritic joint.

 

[Nick Selby]

I would have thought that putting up with something is rather different from avoiding further degeneration in an arthritic joint.

like I said, everybody is different and a diagnosis of OA shouldn't stop people from shooting unless they are at the stage of requiring arthroplasty (joint replacement)....personally, I'd keep shooting until I was no longer able to.

 

[Nick Selby]

Always best to seek advice/assessment from a Physio before making that decision though....

 

[T.C.]

like I said, everybody is different and a diagnosis of OA shouldn't stop people from shooting unless they are at the stage of requiring arthroplasty (joint replacement)....personally, I'd keep shooting until I was no longer able to.

So you suggest people with shoulder problems should keep shooting until they need a shoulder replacement ?

 

[Nick Selby]

So you suggest people with shoulder problems should keep shooting until they need a shoulder replacement ?

totally depends on their circumstances but I certainly wouldn't tell someone with early stage OA to necessarily give up shooting. It is very subjective and if they maintain range of movement and keep the muscles nice and strong around the joint, I don't see why they can't keep going. Maybe they should consider shooting with a 20 bore or lighter cartridges or get recoil reducers etc. There are plenty of people out there shooting with much worse conditions than OA....