Arthritis knee

Daisymae
Daisymae Member Posts: 50
edited 19. Aug 2019, 13:22 in Living with arthritis
Ever since being diagnosed with mild arthritic knee and cartilage tear in march, even now I am much slower in my walking, my knee not really that painful now, more of a feeling it's not working smoothly, what I wondered why do I find it difficult to walk at a decent pace? Is this a result of the arthritis, even though I was told it's just wear and tear, the doctors famous last words!

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    When you move you place your knee under stress. The joint is damaged, albeit mildly, but that degree of damage is sufficient to affect how you move and at what rate. This is what arthritis in the lower limbs can do and does.

    I used to be a speedy walker and found older people doddering along a right inconvenience, now I have been that older person for the past twenty years and have only just turned 60. :roll: DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Daisymae
    Not sure if you know or not but the way you walk and the shoes you wear all effect the knee and hips..if your shoes wear down at one side this can make things worse ..you can have your walking mapped out but I think you have to pay for it..they can them make orthotics for you , or recommend trainer or shoes..it really can slow the wear and tear down..
    Love
    Barbara
  • Daisymae
    Daisymae Member Posts: 50
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks for the replies they are very helpful, it is not easy not being able to walk like I used to be able to do, I could even manage a short run at times!
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    We all slow up as we age but there's slowing as one should then there is the slowing that is forced upon us via disease. It stings as people considerably older than me sprint past, not a stick in sight, and it has stung for over twenty years. In my early days before it was established what was actually going on I harboured thoughts of returning to my old ability to walk at a decent lick. Now I am 60 I am closing in on the right age to match my infirmity, just another twenty years or so to go. Arthritis takes with one hand then, for good measure, takes with the other. The secret is not to let on one cares: as I often say, arthritis is a case of mind over matter, I do mind but that doesn't matter.

    I hope you will have arthritis like my neighbour: it stayed in the one joint (in her case a hip) and once that was replaced she gained a new lease of life. I hope yours stays only in your knee, to help it do so use a stick (held on the opposite side) to take the strain off the affected one, that will help to slow its progression. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Daisymae
    Daisymae Member Posts: 50
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I too harbour thoughts of walking like I was doing just a year ago,I think I still believe I will, as it can be so sad to think that those days are no more, even more sad are the thoughts that there is no cure, and many doctors dismiss it as to be expected as we get older
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I think that comes from the fact that OA is so common, the majority of the ten million or so arthritics in the UK have OA - that's around a sixth of the population - so no wonder it is regarded by many as inevitable. I guess you are coming at this from a healthy background so it must be very hard that your once reliable body is wearing out. The body is a mechanical device which, like all machinery, wears with age, use and misuse but while it's working as we think it should that possibility is never thought about.

    I will never be as good as I once was and that is true of everyone, arthritic or not. My healthy spouse struggles with kneeling now, his joints are beginning to stiffen and he is feeling physically different to how he did. At long last he's trying my life on for size and not liking it. :lol:
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben