👯‍♀️👯‍♀️Hips and Knees part 4 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️

Aren't sticks meant for hiking though? I can't see myself feeling comfy using those either especially when in a shopping mall. But!! They are a better option to consider , thankyou so much.
I just wish my pride would let me help myself with aids that would help me . How do I get over that?

How to Get over it? You just do. No offence but no one is looking at you, and no one w ill point and laugh.
Yes shopping with poles is slightly awkward but you don’t need to use them all the time. Use with a cross body bag or just when in the house or to go for a walk and leave them at home if you are out for days shopping. Honestly they really help.

I think it’s fairly common to not want to move too much if it all hurts! Much easier to just sit, but not good for any of us in the long run.

Can't believe you'd let pride get between you and better mobility.
I was perfectly happy using first two then one stick. It was a good non verbal way of indicating that I might be a bit slow, in pain or needing some leeway. Always got me a good seat on the bus and, if necessary, could trip troublemakers up! Embrace your sticks. They're your transport these days.
I no longer need them but have them all ready for when my unoperated hip finally gives out.

Thankyou for your replies, I think I will try a stick or 2 . Xx

Use a stick on the opposite side to your most painful joint.

I am hoping to use my newly bought walking sticks soon. I developed Covid evening of 26th, had over a week in bed, feeling better but it has left me with aching legs/joints. Is it because I didn’t do my exercises for over a week? Or effects of the Covid. Couldn’t believe it when I tested positive, and kept testing positive until a few days ago.
And GP wants me to go on statins. I tried them 2 years ago, gave me aching legs. So do I want aching legs on top of aching legs?!

susytish judging from what others have said it is Covid that has made you feel the way you are. I personally would forget about exercises, do as little or as much as you want or can without overdoing it.

After my second knee replacement as I said before I did almost no exercises because I was in such pain and I did not want to add to it and my knee was fine.

Sorry but the statins are a discussion between you and your doctor. Maybe you could have a word with the pharmacist?

Haven't had a knee replacement but have had arthritic knees for many years now. Sometimes my bad knee is pretty bad but then it will be ok for a while [I do a lot of strengthening exercises].It's been really good recently. I'm going away for a couple of weeks and was really excited at the thought of being able to do lots of walking; sometimes I've been away and really struggled. But, a few hours ago I slipped on some papers that I'd stupidly left on the stairs and my good knee either went backwards of forwards; it happened so fast I don't know which way it was. All I know is that it really hurt and walking is painful at the moment. I'm hoping that with a bit of ice packs, heat, and various creams it'll settle down. I'm trying to not get upset about it but, to be honest I just want to cry. I don't do the driving so I'll probably put a hot water bottle on my knee when we travel. I was supposed to tidy the house tonight before I leave but I'm too sore. Apologies for pouring it all out on here but I just needed to offload it. Fingers crossed it will settle down with a days rest. I'm so annoyed with myself!

Oh what bad luck Maybe70. Terrible timing. I hope it settles soon. Just one thing though, to reduce inflammation and swelling you need ice rather than heat. Frozen peas clasped to your knee in the car then?

I agree with Aveline but I hate to say it I doubt if one day will be sufficient. We are barely over the age of 29 but it does take a lot longer.

silverlining48

I mean sticks, walking poles, not crutches. I walk and have always used poles. No need to feel embarrassed.
They really do help.

I always think walking poles look rather dashing particularly with a suitably Nordic bobble hat - as if you do 10k before breakfast every day!
Can you guess that I don’t?

Neither do I Rosie, not before breakfast anyway.
I too tested positive on Boxing Day but had a couple of good long walks last week. Though did find them a not more tiring than usual.
I don’t have a bobble hat but think snow is needed for that to look picture perfect.

Just a word of warning if you are using sticks or crutches in a shopping centre.

Be aware of the smooth floors, especially if wet. Poles can slide away very easily .

Aveline

Oh what bad luck Maybe70. Terrible timing. I hope it settles soon. Just one thing though, to reduce inflammation and swelling you need ice rather than heat. Frozen peas clasped to your knee in the car then?

I grabbed something frozen from the freezer when I first did it although it wasn’t the bag of peas with ‘knee peas:do not eat’ written on it. I couldn’t find that! Note to self: keep the knee peas in a prominent position: when they’re needed it won’t be the best time to have to rummage through a freezer full of non knee items!

"Knee peas"!

I saw a lovely helpful nhs physio on Thursday. She gave me just one exercise to do to strengthen my periformis muscle. She said I was doing amazingly well considering I had a bad fall on my new hip and really assured me as I had begun to lose my confidence when out walking. I had become quite anxious when outside but am already feeling a lot better. She also said to go back any time to see her if I felt I needed to

I woke up today on my right side having slept on it for most of the night so hoping that I’ve had the last of the thigh
pain as sleeping on my left side doesn’t work for me because of the nerve damage I have on that side.

Susytish I hope you’re no longer testing positive and that your DH had good news and not back on Chimo. What a very stressful time you’ve had.

Best wishes to everyone.

MayBee70…..Do you have any Ibuprofen gel you could rub into your knee as I think that might help with the pain and any inflammation you might have. That’s what my physio suggested I do.

Yes. I put some on after icing it for a while. Going to put some more on now (I only learned recently that it needs to be rubbed round the back of the knee; I always used to put it mainly on the front). I think that, yet again I’ve dodged a bullet as it’s much better now. I’ve tripped up so many times over the past year and got away with it each time. I always travel with ibuprofen gel and Voltarol etc. And I always forget to take paracetamol but I wanted to take some last night and realised it was packed away in my partners car. I’ve got some codeine somewhere, too. Someone mentioned further back feeling tired and it made me think of how tiring knee and hip pain is because we tense our bodies and everything becomes so much harder to do. Eg walking up and down the stairs is exhausting when you have to do one step at a time very carefully. I remember being at my daughters a while back when she had some workmen in the house. I walked down the stairs and one of them, who’d just had a new knee said ‘ I see you’ve got arthritic knees too’.

After a # dislocation of an ankle many years ago it was pinned and plated. I bought a stairlift. That has been my best purchase since sliced bread.

My staircase is straight which lessened the cost but it has been a lifesaver as I live on my own.

Recovering from Covid, still bit of a cough and blocked nose, then as I thought I was making progress, I tripped on hall mat (still haven’t learned to pick feet up!) and went forwards towards the front door, being saved by the door handle! My right foot has been a bit strange since, as I must have twisted it a bit. Same side as knee and hip replacements of course. It didn’t swell up, just felt sore, so hoping it is just strain.

You might want to move that mat susy

silverlining haha! Yes! First time I have tripped with it.
Are you recovering from your Covid?

Yes thanks COVID now clear but my jaw locked 5 days ago and I can barely open my Mouth.
Luckily chocolate buttons can be fed through the tiny gap between my clenched teeth so shouldn’t starve.
Hope you feel better soon

silverlining48

Yes thanks COVID now clear but my jaw locked 5 days ago and I can barely open my Mouth.
Luckily chocolate buttons can be fed through the tiny gap between my clenched teeth so shouldn’t starve.
Hope you feel better soon

Something similar happened to me a few years ago. I eventually saw a specialist who told me to rub Voltarol round the joint and I used to do a simple exercise that involved touching the roof of my mouth with my tongue. Was your jaw locking a result of the covid?