Anybody playing with arthrits ?

[getthekidthepuck 32]

I have terrible arthritis in my hands,  i am having a hard time taking shots and taking hard passes. Anybody else playing with arthritis? Any feedback would be appreciated!

[kmfdm86 112]

No arthritis, but I have pretty bad carpal tunnel and a tendency to death grip anything I hold (including hockey sticks) which leads to general pain in the hand. 

 

On days when it's bad, I'll take a couple Aleve before a game and do some wrist and hand stretches that I learned doing Aikido.

 

YMMV, but it's worth a shot. 

[Zorlac 22]

stage 4 arthritis in my right knee...

after 5 surgeries.. 3 scopes and meniscus repairs, and TWO ACL reconstructions..an autograft, (tore that) and now an Allograft, arthritis is killing me.

 

My doc recommends a knee replacement, but I'm reluctant. Maybe stem cell therapy next...anyway, here it is:

 

If you're sure it's an arthritic issue, you're going to need drugs. PERIOD.  I know there area lot of "save the trees" people who think you can get away with it by eating right and exercising to strengthen the area, but if you're in a late stage of arthritis, you're pissing up a rope with the  aforementioned. Not that those things don't help, but if the pain is too great nothing will stop it. 

 

Firstly, get an MRI to ensure it's osteoarthritis. You're doc will prescribe you Meloxicam 15mg, or Ibuprofin 800mg.  You'll have to experiment with BOTH in order to find you're sweet spot.

I take an 800mg Ibuprofin 4hrs prior to hockey. I then "hot soak" myself (knee) in hot water with Epsom salt. I then lightly stretch my quads and hammys, and go play.

AFTER hockey, I repeat the process (with no more drugs.)  There are other topographical solutions that I use as well. BIO FREEZE works like a champ!  Some folks respond better with ICE compared to HEAT. Ice does nothing but aggravate my arthritis.  I use intense hot water.

 

I feel for you my friend, as it's a difficult thing to deal with.  You'll want to discuss options with your doctor, as he will give it to you straight.  This affliction has hampered my hockey playing in such a way that I can NEVER play to my potential, until this pain is 100% gone.  HELL< playing at 80% is still fun!!

 

Good luck!

[Vet88 674]

It depends on what type of arthritis you have, osteo (I've had both hips replaced) or rheumatoid or good old fashioned granny arthritis (in my hands and wrists). If it is in your hands I suspect it is the later. If it is rheumatoid arthritis there are various drugs you can take that help to inhibit the advance of the disease, my wife has successfully held it at bay for the last 20 years or so. But regardless of what type you have it NEVER goes away, there are no drugs or cures out there yet that I know of that will do this and you have to change some aspects of you lifestyle. Maybe in a few years down the track with a combination of gene therapy (to remove the disease) and then stem cell therapy (to rebuild the damaged joints) there will finally be an answer. 

Supplements, topical creams, NSAIDS, diet and other treatments can help manage it, downside is that what works for one often doesn't work for another so you have to try and find the mix that suits you. I take arthrem and its helped hugely for my fingers and wrists but I still can't load up to the max on wrist shots any more, my wife takes Liprinol and without this she would be a basket case (as we found out once when overseas and our luggage was lost and she spent 10 days without it). Both of us have found that certain foods and drinks are triggers, for example I can't drink red wine anymore otherwise my fingers ache for days afterwards.

You do need to see a doc, get it evaluated and find out what you are dealing with. Long term it's all about management of the joints, trying to deload them as much as you can (for example my wife can't swim anymore and this really hurts for someone who was once a competitive swimmer) and using whatever you find that works for you to manage the disease and subsequent pain.

And changing your game, I'm not a power forward anymore but play a more defense orientated forward and link role. Gone are big slapshots and power wristers, now it's more about patience with the puck and putting your players into the right space for the pass. Upside is I'm leading the league in assists this year :) 

[Ashtasticness 89]

I don't necessarily know if I have arthritis but I have had issues with my left hand ever since I had it smashed at work a few years ago. If I fall on it it's a pain for like a week, sometimes 2 if I don't wear a brace. I've considered shooting left instead of right but that won't help me if I fall on it.

[OldSlowFat 7]

On 7/4/2016 at 5:25 PM, Zorlac said:

stage 4 arthritis in my right knee...

after 5 surgeries.. 3 scopes and meniscus repairs, and TWO ACL reconstructions..an autograft, (tore that) and now an Allograft, arthritis is killing me.

 

My doc recommends a knee replacement, but I'm reluctant. Maybe stem cell therapy next...anyway, here it is:

 

If you're sure it's an arthritic issue, you're going to need drugs. PERIOD.  I know there area lot of "save the trees" people who think you can get away with it by eating right and exercising to strengthen the area, but if you're in a late stage of arthritis, you're pissing up a rope with the  aforementioned. Not that those things don't help, but if the pain is too great nothing will stop it. 

 

Firstly, get an MRI to ensure it's osteoarthritis. You're doc will prescribe you Meloxicam 15mg, or Ibuprofin 800mg.  You'll have to experiment with BOTH in order to find you're sweet spot.

I take an 800mg Ibuprofin 4hrs prior to hockey. I then "hot soak" myself (knee) in hot water with Epsom salt. I then lightly stretch my quads and hammys, and go play.

AFTER hockey, I repeat the process (with no more drugs.)  There are other topographical solutions that I use as well. BIO FREEZE works like a champ!  Some folks respond better with ICE compared to HEAT. Ice does nothing but aggravate my arthritis.  I use intense hot water.

 

I feel for you my friend, as it's a difficult thing to deal with.  You'll want to discuss options with your doctor, as he will give it to you straight.  This affliction has hampered my hockey playing in such a way that I can NEVER play to my potential, until this pain is 100% gone.  HELL< playing at 80% is still fun!!

 

Good luck!

 

We sound like the same person. I can so empathize with the "just strengthen, physio, etc" nonsense that so many have thrown at me. I've spent thousands of dollars on physio and hours of effort, and it was a waste of time, and just made my knee arthritis worse. I take 800mg of ibuprofen before my weekly skate, but have never heard of biofreeze, I'll have to check that out. I do use Voltaren gel, which helps a bit, and is better on the system than the oral anti-inflammatories.

 

Ice, as you say, just makes things worse.

 

On a positive - on my skate, there's two gentlemen who have both had knee replacements; one and had both knees replaced, and are skating like they're ten years younger. The newer generation of knee replacements are much more resistant to wear, and there's recent studies that say that maintaining bone health/density from playing sports can be a positive in implant longevity.

 

cheers

[DarkStar50 679]

Bottom line: getting old sucks. A lot of my Friday Night Hockey guys are going to Santa Rosa, Ca  for the Snoopy Tournament this week. They are in the 50 + division, with a lot of the guys closer to or older than 60.

[KGuilts 1]

Hands, wrists and back. I try to warm up and roll out but sorry to say it is going to suck as long as you play. 

[YesLanges 127]

Yeah. Started having a lot of anterior hip pain after playing last year and they told me I'm bone on bone on the left side. Had a hard time walking for days after skating. Talked to a hip replacement guy who played hockey about a Birmingham procedure but since then, I've had almost no pain after adding resistance-band hip exercises, NSAIDS before and after playing, and stretching and warming up my hips before skating. I think the two most helpful changes have been limiting my stick-time practices to 1.5 hours once a week max instead of 3 hours twice a week and always using the doors instead of lifting my legs to hop over the boards. I'd been doing well playing once or twice a week and practicing once or twice a week. 

Everything was going great until a couple of weeks ago when something popped in my knee just flicking off an easy snapper in warm-ups. The world-renowned expert who did my ACL 30 years ago (head physician for the Rangers and Knicks for decades) says it's a grade 2 or 3 lateral meniscal tear; but the other guy I saw (also highly-experienced and current physician for Columbia U and head of a bunch of other orthopedic departments) says he doesn't see a tear from the same MRI. They both advised me to stay off skates for 4-6 weeks and do only workouts not involving squatting movements; then, try skating if it's not bothering me from working out and see how it feels skating. Was only just starting to play well after 2 years back on skates since a 24-year total layoff, so hate having to stop skating; but hoping I won't need any surgery after another month of active rest. If it's still bugging me in a month and/or after skating, I guess I'll have to get a 3rd opinion and go from there before doing anything more for it.

Appreciate hearing about any experiences with something similar from anybody who wants to weigh in.

 

[Vet88 674]

I had bi lateral birmingham implants in 2011, researched everything I could about implants and was really glad I chose them when the proverbial hit the wall about de puy and others. if you want any feedback about hip implants and hockey send me a pm. There is an impact and what will happen years down the track is unknown but I'm still on ice / inline skates coaching / training every day of the week and still playing competitively for my country in the respective age group, Can't help about the knee other than to say I had mri's on both of mine and the doc said the pain was from normal wear and tear on the ligaments, deal with it or go home! 

[Fletch 219]

I have joint pain in all fingers in both hands, usually it's painful and worse the mornings after I play.  I talked to the doctor about it and he said it's not arthritis, but "overuse syndrome".  He said it happens to most people who are on the computer a lot (me), use their phones a lot (me) and play a sport which involves gripping something. 

I stretch them out as much as I can but I'm still looking for more solutions other than that and NSAID's. 

[Redhook 1]

What are the typical symptoms of onset arthritis?

 

I used to put my body through a lot when I was younger. I did BMX (ramps), inline skating, skateboarding (skate parks), surfing, ice hockey, etc. I was always falling and getting cut up and bruised. I’m also 6’2”/170’bs which probably doesn’t help (tall and lanky). I quit all that stuff by the time I went to college (18 or 19 years old), and I’m 34 now. Every time I get out of bed I hobble around. My back is sore, feet, and ankles are always sore. But then after a little bit of time walking around I’m usually ok. I don’t have any pain while skating etc. It’s usually only when I stop moving, or have been sitting for a long period. For example I drive an hour to work, and when I finally get out of the car I’m usually so sore from sitting in traffic that I have to shuffle to the office front door. And yet by the time I get upstairs to my desk I’m usually ok. Is this arthritis or just me being an old baby? I really have no clue. 34 seems young for arthritis, but I’m terrified at the prospect of being incapacitated by the time im like 50 or something.

[Vet88 674]

On 30/09/2016 at 11:08 AM, Redhook said:

What are the typical symptoms of onset arthritis?

Every time I get out of bed I hobble around. My back is sore, feet, and ankles are always sore. But then after a little bit of time walking around I’m usually ok. I don’t have any pain while skating etc. It’s usually only when I stop moving, or have been sitting for a long period. For example I drive an hour to work, and when I finally get out of the car I’m usually so sore from sitting in traffic that I have to shuffle to the office front door. And yet by the time I get upstairs to my desk I’m usually ok. Is this arthritis or just me being an old baby? I really have no clue. 34 seems young for arthritis, but I’m terrified at the prospect of being incapacitated by the time im like 50 or something.

 

I don't think anyone can tell you what it is without seeing you and getting a lot more information. I'd suggest you see a doc and get full blood work up and their expert advice. At the age of 34 I'd be wanting answers sooner rather than later.

Arthritis has no age limit, I went to school with a guy who had it in his fingers so bad he couldn't hold a pen a lot of the time. General symptoms are pains in the joints, swelling and limited ROM (most likely osteo). Rhuematoid is generally just pain in the joints but when it strikes it's often debilitating, even at early stages whereas as osteo just gradually gets worse over time.  

And having just seen your post about workouts, did this start after you got back in the ice?

 

[swede 49]

Iv'e had problems as long as i can remember.. For me, Omega-3 (fishoil) and Turmeric is my life savers.. Whitout it i have daily pain in my shoulders, elbows, wrists and ankles.. Omega-3 and Turmeric both naturally reduces the inflammation (whats causing the pain). 

[badger_14 601]

I am 30, and have arthritis in my left knee.  Doctor told me it's been going on since I was probably a kid.  I guess all those running laps that were a staple of gym class didn't help.  But the doc's ultimate advice was to keep moving.  Not to do high impact things like, say, box jumps or running a 5k, but keep moving.  It helps keep fluid from building up and stiffening the joints.  I have been unwilingly sedentary for several weeks while recovering from unrelated surgery, and my knees feel like crap now.  After a few moderate workouts (bike and stretching) I feel better.  My doc said you can't regrow the cartilage, but you can find ways to compensate and mitigate the symptoms.  Physical therapy was very helpful for me.  Biking is good for knee arthritis (I'm told).  Swimming is another low-impact activity.  Lots of stretching.  

[getthekidthepuck 32]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, much appreciated!