Newbie with OA in both hips and knees

Hi Jayne, In my experience depending on how severe the pain is in the hips THR is usually the biggest help to elevate the pain. Had both my hips done.was so glad to move on with life with no more agonizing pain and no pain meds. 

Also I wear spring shoes helps the knees and hips, & a lot less pressure per square inch with each step and carries the weight distrubtion evenly.

Also have you tried therapy? therapists can teach different ways for movements to not injure the OA  joints and exercises to build up core and strengthen muscles. 

Last resort is of course is xrays that could show bone on bone pain in the hips.mthats usually from wear and tear on the hip joints wearing out the soft tissue that cushions the ball joint. Same idea with knee. Knee replacement could be a alternative.

good shoes and arch supports are also important.

isnt it fun to age and learn that our joints are wearing out. Thank goodness for joint replacements at this rate we'll all be stronger with bionic hip and all types of joints to get us thru life.

best wishes and hoping you will feel better soon!

hi Jayne, i hpoe you dont mind us asking... do you have to stand a lot in the day and are you overweight at all?

Good question.

i don't stand for long as it's too painful.  I am a little overweight, and I am in a diet or life plan.  I have always worn flag shoes as I am very tall.

This is what has worked for me - dont know if it will work for you - but this has helped me a lot...

​1. Go on anti-inflammatory diet ASAP. .... i.e. fish, tons of veggies - try & have orange and green ones in every meal; fruit nuts seeds. Give up the coffee (and alcohol) its a stimulant which dehydates and you need all the hydration (lots and lots of water) you can get to your cartilege.   Get a great cook book for veggies so does not get boring.  After 12 weeks add back in chicken and eggs. Otherwise keep off the wheat and dairy and meat as much as possible. To release the good enzymes in the joint, you need to eradicate free radicals and that means lots and lots of anti-oxidants. e.g. eating 3 brazil nuts a day gets you your daily allowance of selenium.   None of this will harm you  - its can only do good things for you.

​2. Get out in the sun at least an hour a day. Get vit D naturally. Not supplements.

​3. Get Sketchers Go Walk Flip flops and shoes asap which are hugely helpful & cushty. Their sales are up 300% this year - as soon as you wear them you know why!

​4. Go get some one to one pilates to make sure your patellas are aligned. They may be trakcing badly - likely your inside thing muscles need some work. Go check....also building your glutes helps. Get her to video you on phoneso you know what to do at home rather than go back all the time.

​5 . Sit with your thighs hip width apart - dont close your knees together as this will make worse..  when in bed pop a soft pilow between your knees. THis sounds daft but helps a lot. Sme people find a padded matress topper helpful to cushion hips. I cant decide if i do or dont on this one!

​6. You need a diet similar to novak Djockavic - fruit & non wheat muesli or similar for brekkie; salad at lunchtime (carbs to keep you going) protein and veggies at dinner - so the protein can rebuild your body whilst you sleep over night....  

​7. Keep moving so nothing seizes up - to release the good chemicals in the joint, the joint needs pressure on it. You need the good stuff to be released to counteract the bad chemical degradation going on in the joint.

​8. eat tons of Berries - higher in anti-oxidants...

​OA is bio-chemical as well as wear & tear - normally the bio-chemical reactions causes the cartilege to thin a bit then the bio-mechanics sets in and you start unwittingly walking diferently which cascades into never ending issue ultimately leading to joint replacement.   The issue is the above is a bit of a chore to try and hold off the progress but at 52 is worth it as replacements only last 10-15 years so personally, I try everything to stop progression.  Has worked for me for 2 years - nothing getting worse & i have pretty much everywhere but stable now.  It isnt really wear & tear  - its more wear and repair then wear and repair and eventually the body cant repair.  So give it help to repair ....good luck... the pillow at night / padded mattress topper + sketchers go walk are all good tips - and pilates to open the hips and strengthen the inside leg muscle. All good... try ASAP...

Hi Jayne, I am fairly new to this forum as well - welcome.  Poor you - I was diagnosed with osteo after pain and problems with my hands in Nov 2014.  After tests, hospital visits and and MRI, I have also been diagnosed with it in my neck (Cervical Spondylitis), and ankles.  I also have osteopenia which is another joy of being a lady in her 50's! (I'm 51).  I have been struggling with my left hip recently so am expecting the GP to send me for xrays - the pain is awlful isn't it.  I feel 'lopsided' if that makes sense and an drained from the constant aching.  I was lucky enough to have a quick referral to the Occupational Therapy team who were fab - I now have some aids to help me, one of which is a bed support frame.  I know that the thought of aids isn't nice and they are not the prettiest of things either but I have found this to be a god send.  The frame fits under your mattress and doesn't take up much room.  I use it all the time - to turn in bed, to get up and just to hold onto if I need support.  Maybe your GP could refer you to the OT team near you? - hope you feel better soon. x

 

I tried Deep Heat this week and I am taking less pain killers as a result, which has to be good.