Pain in the ....

[snuff]

Hi all,as an elderly player I find I'm still struggling with knee pain (osteoarthritis) but I'm trying to manage it.I've tried many gels,tablets and supports.I was using a prescribed drug that worked well only to recently be advised that I can no longer get it because my local authority will not "support?" it.I was offered a previous version that didn't work as there are no more alternatives.My regime is/was take the tabs 3 days before a play day and then after for a few days with elasticated knee supports,depending on pain level.I moved from playing once a month to twice a month so I'll go back to monthly to see if that helps.It's hard trying to explain the ins and outs of a 60+ airsofter to a GP so I decided I'd ask on here if someone has dealt with the same issue.I was looking at mechanical braces but TBH they may be overkill IMO..sorry if I bored you but thanks for any help,tips..I'm not ready to quit yet.

[Tackle]

I quite literally feel your pain, options are limited, ive had right knee replaced & waiting on the left, but even replacement has its pitfalls, such as not being able to comfortably kneel on it, even with monster knee pads.

Cortosteroid injections can help but its limited & usually short lived, & there are restrictions on how many you can have as they can affect bone density etc.

Braces are difficult, ive tried numerous types & quite literally was searching online today for something new for my left leg.

Shows how our phones spy on us, im getting pop up ads showing motorised exoskeleton braces, that, if the ads are to be believed, will have me running up hills etc.

I'm sceptical lol 😏

Problem with a brace is if you're bone on bone, as I am, then ideally you need something to hold the two apart, to do that the upper & lower sections would have to be mega tight, probably cutting off circulation, not a good thing ?.

Pain meds might help, ideally stuff like gabapentin, non addictive & wont have you swerving all over the place on the drive home.

There's no perfect solution, keeping weight down & fitness up is probably on of the best answers, but again both can be difficult in our twilight years.

Good luck 🙏

[ButcherBill]

Go full bush wookie, find a spot & park up for the duration either sitting , standing, leaning etc...

[snuff]

27 minutes ago, Tackle said:

I quite literally feel your pain, options are limited, ive had right knee replaced & waiting on the left, but even replacement has its pitfalls, such as not being able to comfortably kneel on it, even with monster knee pads.

Cortosteroid injections can help but its limited & usually short lived, & there are restrictions on how many you can have as they can affect bone density etc.

Braces are difficult, ive tried numerous types & quite literally was searching online today for something new for my left leg.

Shows how our phones spy on us, im getting pop up ads showing motorised exoskeleton braces, that, if the ads are to be believed, will have me running up hills etc.

I'm sceptical lol 😏

Problem with a brace is if you're bone on bone, as I am, then ideally you need something to hold the two apart, to do that the upper & lower sections would have to be mega tight, probably cutting off circulation, not a good thing ?.

Pain meds might help, ideally stuff like gabapentin, non addictive & wont have you swerving all over the place on the drive home.

There's no perfect solution, keeping weight down & fitness up is probably on of the best answers, but again both can be difficult in our twilight years.

Good luck 🙏

I found some good knee support which help after the fact,but I think going too often may be the issue,shortening recovery time.I got a second wind when the now lost medication worked wonders.I'm getting the same issue with pop up,lol.But I haven't found anything suitable to use during play,even the good supports squeeze the life out of my legs and cause my ankles to swell.Thanks.

4 minutes ago, ButcherBill said:

Go full bush wookie, find a spot & park up for the duration either sitting , standing, leaning etc...

That will be the last option for me,even with my 60+ year old body my 18 year old brain makes me get to the front and get in the action,close...😁

[Tommikka]

I’m not yet in that league, but have one totally screwed knee and as I haven’t popped it out for some time and the other has deteriorated I have to think about which one is my officially bad knee

 

Hydrating properly and eating highly improved my recovery time from a few days to just enough to catch on sleep

(If we don’t count the other weekend at a one day event, early start to setup followed by hours of standing - after packing down I could hardly walk and if I had been driving would have grabbed the first travelodge)

 

I’ve used a few knee braces, from basic elasticated, more substantial elasticated with breathing holes, and also with entry level hinged knee braces.

When most active going into stupid positions photographing tournaments I would use the hinged brace, at least on my worst knee, and if I didn’t think I would abuse knees then go for elasticated to just hold it all together 

 

Anything beyond that really should be looked at as to what support you need where, and to identify the right type of braces

 

For pills it can be a matter of why that one was right for you - the active ingredients and I’m inclined to say it’s not necessary the pain relief but potentially the inflammatory elements etc

If it really is the ideal then the scary part to your wallet could be looking at a private prescription 

 

My GP (who has just written to all patients to tell us he’s leaving) is excellent, which is attributable to his people skills (and one of the reasons

given for leaving with the trend to online / phone interaction taking over from face to face)

With any visit to him I’ve dreaded the advice to take things more easy, but he’s always given the opposite to keep

playing but while listening to my body. 

[snuff]

33 minutes ago, Tommikka said:

I’m not yet in that league, but have one totally screwed knee and as I haven’t popped it out for some time and the other has deteriorated I have to think about which one is my officially bad knee

 

Hydrating properly and eating highly improved my recovery time from a few days to just enough to catch on sleep

(If we don’t count the other weekend at a one day event, early start to setup followed by hours of standing - after packing down I could hardly walk and if I had been driving would have grabbed the first travelodge)

 

I’ve used a few knee braces, from basic elasticated, more substantial elasticated with breathing holes, and also with entry level hinged knee braces.

When most active going into stupid positions photographing tournaments I would use the hinged brace, at least on my worst knee, and if I didn’t think I would abuse knees then go for elasticated to just hold it all together 

 

Anything beyond that really should be looked at as to what support you need where, and to identify the right type of braces

 

For pills it can be a matter of why that one was right for you - the active ingredients and I’m inclined to say it’s not necessary the pain relief but potentially the inflammatory elements etc

If it really is the ideal then the scary part to your wallet could be looking at a private prescription 

 

My GP (who has just written to all patients to tell us he’s leaving) is excellent, which is attributable to his people skills (and one of the reasons

given for leaving with the trend to online / phone interaction taking over from face to face)

With any visit to him I’ve dreaded the advice to take things more easy, but he’s always given the opposite to keep

playing but while listening to my body. 

I only got the good meds because the GP didn't realise BHA didn't cover their cost,as soon as they realised it was flagged.I will ask about private funding if no other option works.

[Anonymoose]

2 hours ago, ButcherBill said:

Go full bush wookie, find a spot & park up for the duration either sitting , standing, leaning etc...

 

Ghillies are by far the most boring players.

[EDcase]

Sorry to hear Snuff.

Even if you have to reduce the number of game days, be thankful you can still play.

Some of us(me) can't play at all anymore 😢

[snuff]

1 hour ago, Anonymoose said:

 

Ghillies are by far the most boring players.

But they are good to hunt and shoot...😁