Joining another club!

Good stuff @Bagrat

There's basically 2 cornerstones of handling Arthritis I believe - pain management through prescribed meds, supplements, gels, aids and diet, and physio/exercise to keep things supple, build strength around weakened joints to aid stability and relieve the pain that tendons and muscles come under as they pick up the slack. There are 2 other obvious benefits - keeping fit physically and mentally. Most folk find the 2 go hand-in-hand (difficult to exercise and be mobile when in pain) so finding the right balance can take determination, experimentation and a bit of luck.

I think anything you can do is good. I'm 56 with OA in both knees, going in for the 1st of two total knee replacements this Thursday and when I started out after my diagnosis 18 months ago I found it incredibly tough to do anything when I could barely get down the stairs of a morning to make myself a cuppa!

So here's a few tips which worked for me (and might be helpful in part for you)

1: You will have good days and bad days, that's par for the course with this condition so if you're finding it hard to do physio, do a little and come back later to do the rest.

2: Try doing it at a specific time of day to build routine because routines become habits and habits are hard to break

3: It's not just physio either - any low impact activity like walking and swimming is excellent too. I motivate myself with the promise of a coffee and a slice of cake or a glass of wine at the end.

4: Once you think you're mastering the physio it maybe good to look at some gymwork. I went on the GP Exercise Referral Programme which got me a 1:1 appointment with a specialist at my local Council run sports centre. She gave me some exercises to do specifically geared up for building my quads and other muscles around my knees using the weight machines. This came with a 40% discount off the annual membership as well and these are run nationwide if you don't know about them. Another scheme which is free to join is run by Nuffield Health, bit of a waiting list and they don't operate in all areas but it's bi-weekly and runs for 3 months.

5: In terms of pain management I do use a TENS machine, usually if I've overdone it. It works for me but not for others, you can only try it for yourself. I also use a deep tissue massaging gun on strained muscles and tendons. I use a gel called FlexiSeq which aids lubrication to prevent crunching, clicking and grinding, plus 5KIND Hemp gel which has a very soothing effect. I used to use Capsaicin cream but it's virtually impossible to get hold of. Finally, if you're finding your knees give way or have problems with stability, elasticated knee supports can help. I would recommend a visit to an independent pharmacy as they usually stock a big range and have a consultation room where you can try some on for fit and comfort.

6: Some foodstuffs have proven anti-inflammatory effects - oily fish and eggs rich in Omega 3, Garlic, Walnuts, dark green leafy veg and Olives of all things!

There is information on this website about all of these, I've merely condensed it into this one long post for ease - sorry!

Hope some of these help, do stick up your hand if you have anything else.

Jon

Glad I could help - after 18 months I'm convinced the answer lies in the physio and exercise but it takes months and months but so worth it.