Playing with old injuries

[Enid_Puceflange]

Well after years of two wheel “nonsense”

Mountain biking (countless crashes , one including a cracked Gyro helmet)

Downhill Mountain bikes (never ends well)

Two pretty gnarly superbike crashes

And one Moto-X big get off

Funnily enough I decided about 15 yrs ago that my body couldn’t really take more

 

Now having hit 50 and overweight, the old injuries are starting to show and affect my enjoyment. Mostly leg injuries 

So last time I played, about a month ago, I misplaced my foot in the woodland and twanged my ankle

Ive got a couple of tubular Velcro’d  compression supports to try out

One for an ankle and one for the opposite knee

 

Anyone in a similar situation?

how do you play with it?

Edited November 28, 2023 by Enid_Puceflange

[Cannonfodder]

I injured my neck when a ruck collapsed when playing rugby about 25 years ago and it still gives me trouble now and again so I try to keep my kit as light as possible. When it does flare up heat pads and some over over the counter pain killers usually do the trick.

 

Of course a couple of drinks afterwards help too 

 

 

[concretesnail]

Like you i have a long list of injuries, and the reconstructions of joints to go with them, though I still haven't learned to stop doing anything. Age is certainly not helping, like you I'm on the older end of spectrum and the body is paying the price for the spirit.

To some what balance the scales I've tried over the last few years to integrate range of motion and stability exercise into my life and its helped massively. Less injuries and recovery times from the injuries that do happen is much quicker. 

 

I use a program call pliabilty, it used to be call romwod (range of movement work on daily). Its Internet based, in that its video lead, but shortish sessions daily and varied to stop getting bored and lazy. 

Support wise I've found compression wear helps a lot, and outside of a full brace the knee wraps with the springs in work well.

 

All the above has let me go from having to use light weight kit to whatever kit I feel like that day. I did a 8hr battle sim day last time out and did it in a plate carrier with weighted plates and a dmr. 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm 6"7', 130kg, with a history of rugby and motorbike shenanigans. 

 

Working as a plumber has also taken its toll on my knees, so now, playing airsoft  probably isn't the smartest choice.  Especially with my tendency to charge objectives. 

 

Funnily enough,  running doesn't seem to be a problem. It's kneeling down and standing up that causes my left knee to pop out of the joint, necessitating my having to perform an arabesque to drop it back in.

 

The cartilage has already been trimmed out,  so I'm starting to wonder how far off I am from needing an artificial knee.

 

Have wondered if some form of strengthening routine would help, so will look into the Pliability program.   Also got back into the system with my doctor,  so have a load of tests booked (because at 45, i have reached that point in life when shit goes south quickly) and physiotherapy appointments too.

Edited November 28, 2023 by Dan Robinson

[gavinkempsell]

Hmm, can't class these as old injuries but...

 

Dodgy knees (both) due you work

Dodgy hips (mainly the right) due to work

Plantar fasciitis (both feet) due to work safety shoes

Dodgy back (right side) due to work

Carpal Tunnel (mainly right wrist) due to work & masturbation

 

I'll blame work for most of them but being a fat git for most of life has played it's part. Missed my last skirmish just in case I made my back worse, not a good time for a butcher to be off sick.

[Dan Robinson]

3 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

Carpal Tunnel (mainly right wrist) due to masturbation

 

You're doing it wrong then.  😉

[gavinkempsell]

Just now, Dan Robinson said:

You're doing it wrong then.  😉

Or right...

[EDcase]

Did something to my lower back a few years ago.  Now I've got pretty much constant pain when standing/walking.  I can just about make it through a game day but its tough at times.  That's one of the reasons I don't play regularly.

[Galvatron]

I have scar tissue on an MCL tear I sustained from a knee dislocation in my teens. I had dislocated it twice again since the first but it didn't worsen the damage or cause newer lasting injuries. Thankfully a compression brace lets me run without worrying about it too much.

 

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

Good to know I’m not the only one in the “arthritic gang”

this is starting to get like the scar showing scene in Lethal Weapon eleventeen with Mel Gibson & Renne Russo 😂

 

Ive also got a trapped sciatic nerve that disables me occasionally, that happened slipping when getting out of the shower 😂🙄

[Tackle]

Lol, Welcome to old age, & yep, almost every sport will catch up on you eventually, but especially the high speed & contact sports, but fuckit, how much fun was it getting to this point😁. 

Last few years for me have been rough as fuck, right now I'm hobbling around with recent new right knee, the other knee still to be done, couple of fractures in my right foot from March that still haven't healed, damaged back from my childhood, & the spectre of cancer still hanging over me, not to mention a ton of ongoing grieving & the fact that we're caring for a loved one with a sad prognosis. 

Sorry for the life story lol, point is every negative in our life, physical and emotional, chips away at our resolve & ability to keep doing what we enjoy, often (but not always ?) made harder when it comes to Airsoft, not everyone around us gets it, half of my family think it's fine to spend thousands every year on new golf clubs/membership/green fees, but shake their heads when I'm sorting out my kit for a game. 

But if keeping playing is what you want to, you find the way to make it happen. 

Regards to supports, braces & all the other paraphernalia available, it's difficult to say, what works for one may not be ideal for the next, identifying the weakness in a joint is a priority, then deciding whether you want to overcome that weakness entirely with, for example, a hinged knee brace that stops the lateral pain of something like an acl injury might get you through the day, but at what cost, scar tissue forming & little prospect of recovery. 

It's a lot of trial and error, one thing I've found can help is snug neoprene joint & back supports, they don't provide much stability but their brilliant for keeping heat in the affected areas, especially this time of year & it's sometimes good to rub a bit of deep heat in the affected areas before putting on the supports, definitely helps with fluidity. 

Weight obviously plays a massive part, I'm a porker now & short of starving myself it's a vicious circle once you hit a certain age & add injuries to the equation. 

My answer is to change my playing style, change my load carrying equipment & try to stay away from the heavy guns, but it's hard, I'm an airsofter so obviously I have no willpower whatsoever when it comes to food & guns, which is why I bought an M60 last year which nearly killed me getting home on the train & a long walk at the end of it, but I will field it one day😬. 

In short, step back & reevaluate everything, but don't be a Debbie Downer, only you know your capabilities. 

JUST DON'T YOU FUCKIN GIVE UP🤬

[Shamal]

12 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

Hmm, can't class these as old injuries but...

 

Dodgy knees (both) due you work

Dodgy hips (mainly the right) due to work

Plantar fasciitis (both feet) due to work safety shoes

Dodgy back (right side) due to work

Carpal Tunnel (mainly right wrist) due to work & masturbation

 

I'll blame work for most of them but being a fat git for most of life has played it's part. Missed my last skirmish just in case I made my back worse, not a good time for a butcher to be off sick.

They are right then.

A lot of people are saying you are dodgy as fuck! 😉😂

 

 

[gavinkempsell]

2 minutes ago, Enid_Puceflange said:

Lethal Weapon eleventeen with Mel Gibson & Renne Russo

I prefer the scene from Jaws... i've got a 12" scar from my 3rd hernia op in 2009 (bastard surgeon took my belly button but left my belly).

[Tackle]

10 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

Or right...

Just make sure you wash your hands🤮🍖🍗🥩🥓

[gavinkempsell]

1 minute ago, Tackle said:

Just make sure you wash your hands🤮🍖🍗🥩🥓

If I could get paid for that I wouldn't have the Plantar Fasciatis... Only Fans here I cum.

[Tackle]

3 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

I prefer the scene from Jaws... i've got a 12" scar from my 3rd hernia op in 2009 (bastard surgeon took my belly button but left my belly).

 

[gavinkempsell]

I'm honoured lol.

[Dan Robinson]

11 minutes ago, Tackle said:

hinged knee brace that stops the lateral pain of something like an acl injury might get you through the day, but at what cost, scar tissue forming & little prospect of recovery

 

I have a bloody expensive one from Phiten from when SWMBO worked there and it doesn't help.   Now you've got me worrying about scar tissue LOL

[Spartan09]

2 minutes ago, EDcase said:

Did something to my lower back a few years ago.  Now I've got pretty much constant pain when standing/walking.  I can just about make it through a game day but its tough at times.  That's one of the reasons I don't play regularly.

i think we have that in common.  back constantly aches just standing/walking most days. i can get through game days, but sometimes my back does complain,  especially if i run my tippmann due to the HPA tank.  one reason why im slowly phasing out the tippmann.

i also recently injured my knee at work, but that seems to be healing (famous last words)
also cracked a few ribs several years ago in an accident at work, and they ache constantly, but get worse in the cold.
additionaly, i also had a bout of pleurisy after cracking my ribs, so i am always cautious to wrap up warm in cold weather as i never want to go through that again (and my doctor tells me i may be susceptible to relapses for life)

22 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

Or right...

yeah..  definately doing something wrong there...  XD

 

[Tackle]

2 minutes ago, Spartan09 said:

i think we have that in common.  back constantly aches just standing/walking most days. i can get through game days, but sometimes my back does complain,  especially if i run my tippmann due to the HPA tank.  one reason why im slowly phasing out the tippmann.

i also recently injured my knee at work, but that seems to be healing (famous last words)
also cracked a few ribs several years ago in an accident at work, and they ache constantly, but get worse in the cold.
additionaly, i also had a bout of pleurisy after cracking my ribs, so i am always cautious to wrap up warm in cold weather as i never want to go through that again (and my doctor tells me i may be susceptible to relapses for life)

yeah..  definately doing something wrong there...  XD

 

This👆, lost count of the number of gamedays, & a few weekenders, where players turned with gucci vests & t-shirts, no snivel gear whatsoever, most of the time it's their lookout & they usually end up dropping out, wankers, although I remember one gameday getting cancelled less than two hours in, at the ammo bunkers at Lydden, most of the players turned up poorly equipped, & when the forecast snow arrived they all started snivelling. 

Remember that one @Duff Beer

[Spartan09]

26 minutes ago, Tackle said:

 

It's a lot of trial and error, one thing I've found can help is snug neoprene joint & back supports, they don't provide much stability but their brilliant for keeping heat in the affected areas, especially this time of year & it's sometimes good to rub a bit of deep heat in the affected areas before putting on the supports, definitely helps with fluidity. 

Weight obviously plays a massive part, I'm a porker now & short of starving myself it's a vicious circle once you hit a certain age & add injuries to the equation. 

My answer is to change my playing style, change my load carrying equipment & try to stay away from the heavy guns, but it's hard, I'm an airsofter so obviously I have no willpower whatsoever

i have supports for my knee and back, but try to avoid using them unless absolutely necessary (mainly when lifting heavy shit at work)
never thought of deep heat, so will get some to try out.

definately agree on the weight front,  and while im not a whale, i could do with losing a bit of weight.

and i also have zero will power...  its why i splashed out on a VFC M249, and am looking at another expensive pew on preorder...

 

 

doesnt help that christmas is fast approaching.... and so no doubt my belt will have to bee loosened by a notch before i try (and probably fail) to lose weight as a new years resolution

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Spartan09

[SeanM]

I'm by no means old (27) but spending the majority of my teens to early adult hood 14-24 training and fighting (Muay Thai) paired with a labour intensive job, my body is pretty knackered already, constant aches and pains, I can't shrug my shoulders without my collar bones clicking, so I'm screwed as I get older 🤦‍♂️🤣.

 

Top tip for you guys.. deep heat is a no go, it heats the surface of the skin giving you a nice placebo of warmth and heat but doesn't really penetrate deep into your muscles. Do yourselves a favour Get some tiger balm instead, they come in red  and white, I recommend to get the red stuff, but try both and see which your prefer if the red is too intense for you, They're only small, but a little goes a long way. I used to swear by this when I was fighting. Also invest in some Thai oil (Namman) and rub this onto your 'injuries' or 'weak' points (for me it's usually legs, knees, ankles, lower back) before a skirmish or exercise, it does wonders in preventing injuries like pulled muscles etc, I used to put this on every day before I trained, be warned it does have a strong smell but it's not a bad one at all, I love it! (smells very similar to deep heat) if you've ever been in a fight gym, you will know exactly what I'm talking about. All very good stuff and a worthy investment for messed up bodies and/or preventive measures! 

 

Lastly, stretch, stretch and stretch! Both before and after skirmishes. The amount of injuries and niggly pains that can be prevented by getting the muscles warm and stretched out before a game day is immeasurable. Everyone (including myself) often neglects this, but we shouldn't.. We might not realise it when we're out there blasting people with our new little pew pews, but Airsoft is intense on the body! You've got heavy gear, you're running, jogging, crouching, crawling, jumping, Airsoft is a workout in itself, we just don't realize it because we're too busy having fun 🤣.

Edited November 30, 2023 by SeanM

[Tackle]

@SeanM, I can't comment on what works for you mate, only my own experiences, thing about deep heat is it's not like calamine lotion, wiping a bit on the skin isn't gonna do much, it needs to be worked in to the muscle like a deep tissue massage,applied properly it will last most of the day, so much so that if my lower backs niggly, I'll get the missus to give it a good rub in, much easier than trying to do it myself.

I've tried the tiger balm, yeah the reds just mental lol, but then I've also tried most of the other stuff, the over the counter gear like volterol, or the prescription gear like fenbid (feels cold when applied), or the higher percentage capsaicin creams, much of it is counterirritant based, half beneficial ingredient & the other half annoying placebo, as you mentioned, designed to distract you from your pains, but ultimately its about what works for any one person, not every person. 

Which is why people need to act sparingly with this stuff, especially the atopical gear, throw a load on when your not used to it, then wrap the area in some kinda support made of artificial fibres could lead to some serious skin irritations🔥, that will definitely distract you from your usual aches & pains. 

As for the the various stretching exercises & warming up, definitely, fill yer boots if your able, unfortunately Ive got 29years on you, if I tried to do the kind of warm up exercises I did when I was 27, I wouldn't make it out of the safezone 🚑. 

When you start carrying the long term wear & tear, & associated injuries, acceptance plays a big part in enjoying the game, not feeling the need to behave like red rum when the whistle blows, but rather employ a more tactical approach, aka sneaky mofo, & let the young gazelles on the opposite side run in to my occasional well placed BB, it can be very satisfying😈. 

It is what we make of it I guess🤔

 

 

[SeanM]

7 hours ago, Tackle said:

@SeanM, I can't comment on what works for you mate, only my own experiences, thing about deep heat is it's not like calamine lotion, wiping a bit on the skin isn't gonna do much, it needs to be worked in to the muscle like a deep tissue massage,applied properly it will last most of the day, so much so that if my lower backs niggly, I'll get the missus to give it a good rub in, much easier than trying to do it myself.

I've tried the tiger balm, yeah the reds just mental lol, but then I've also tried most of the other stuff, the over the counter gear like volterol, or the prescription gear like fenbid (feels cold when applied), or the higher percentage capsaicin creams, much of it is counterirritant based, half beneficial ingredient & the other half annoying placebo, as you mentioned, designed to distract you from your pains, but ultimately its about what works for any one person, not every person. 

Which is why people need to act sparingly with this stuff, especially the atopical gear, throw a load on when your not used to it, then wrap the area in some kinda support made of artificial fibres could lead to some serious skin irritations🔥, that will definitely distract you from your usual aches & pains. 

As for the the various stretching exercises & warming up, definitely, fill yer boots if your able, unfortunately Ive got 29years on you, if I tried to do the kind of warm up exercises I did when I was 27, I wouldn't make it out of the safezone 🚑. 

When you start carrying the long term wear & tear, & associated injuries, acceptance plays a big part in enjoying the game, not feeling the need to behave like red rum when the whistle blows, but rather employ a more tactical approach, aka sneaky mofo, & let the young gazelles on the opposite side run in to my occasional well placed BB, it can be very satisfying😈. 

It is what we make of it I guess🤔

 

 

Ahh yeah, very true mate in regards to what works for different people. Deep heat will definitely be easier to apply and work into the muscles with a massage as you say as it's more of a cream consistency. With me, I'd usually go home after training and apply some to my niggles, usually knees, shins, ankles and top of my feet but it just didn't do enough for me, perhaps I wasn't working it in properly as you say, or maybe it's better for bigger softer areas rather than boney ones. Tiger balm when I first tried it blew me away and did everything I needed it to with the way I was using it, so I've sworn by it ever since. Have you ever tried Namman Thai oil? It's incredible stuff, You could probably skip the warm up and just use that 🥵 you'll be flying out of the safe zone 🤣🦸. I do love a bit of sneaky gameplay myself, Nothing more satisfying than doing a sneaky little flank around and objective and just picking the enemies off one by one with a sniper, completely undetected. Or better yet, hiding and waiting on a popular route like an ambush predator for the enemies to walk past you before picking them off haha. 

[Tackle]

38 minutes ago, SeanM said:

Ahh yeah, very true mate in regards to what works for different people. Deep heat will definitely be easier to apply and work into the muscles with a massage as you say as it's more of a cream consistency. With me, I'd usually go home after training and apply some to my niggles, usually knees, shins, ankles and top of my feet but it just didn't do enough for me, perhaps I wasn't working it in properly as you say, or maybe it's better for bigger softer areas rather than boney ones. Tiger balm when I first tried it blew me away and did everything I needed it to with the way I was using it, so I've sworn by it ever since. Have you ever tried Namman Thai oil? It's incredible stuff, You could probably skip the warm up and just use that 🥵 you'll be flying out of the safe zone 🤣🦸. I do love a bit of sneaky gameplay myself, Nothing more satisfying than doing a sneaky little flank around and objective and just picking the enemies off one by one with a sniper, completely undetected. Or better yet, hiding and waiting on a popular route like an ambush predator for the enemies to walk past you before picking them off haha. 

Edit, I should say back in my ice hockey days, freeze spray was "medicine" of choice for everything that hurt, probably helped by the fact that I was lean & muscular, unlike now lol. 

You & I are targeting similar issues, but approaching them from different ends of the age/fitness spectrum, so hopefully all our experiences are of use to other members going through similar stuff🤞. 

 

LOL, I've definitely got no shortage of bigger softer areas🐖, been a very long time since anybody described any part of me as bony🤣