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[RC] Aches and Pains - Bruce Weary

  I have been following with interest the thread on our "walking wounded" endurance riders who ride with/in spite of their pains/arthritis/surgeries/injuries/disabilities. First, I applaud all of you for pursuing your addiction, I mean, passion. And there may be some good news. My experience caring for patients with orthopedic problems for 25 years has led to several observations. First, I have noticed that many people will spend an inordinate amount of money on saddles, trailers, trucks, etc, but would never dream of spending the same amount on themselves in the pursuit of better post-surgical rehab to strengthen and stabilize their knees, backs and shoulders after the surgeon has done his job. Many people may not keep up their exercises or see the chiro nearly as often as would offer better stabilization and pain reduction for their chronic problems. People in general are very adaptive and often resign themselves to the idea that they are just getting older, or their problem can't be improved.  Some "get used to" their pains and seem to spend more time adapting to them than actively working hard to strengthen/minimize/reduce them. Advil is very popular. Trips to the physical therapist aren't as popular, and the outcomes can be very different. Advil will impair tissue healing, and a judicious home therapy program will build and strengthen. An individual chiropractic adjustment won't accomplish much other than temporary pain relief. An intelligent series of treatments and proper attention to new injuries will yield much better long term outcomes and joint health.
   We need all the active members we can get and keep. Please consider consulting with your orthopedist, chiropractor, and physical therapist and grill them on whatever they think you can do to improve your situation, whether through them or at home on your own. If they think you are serious, they will often go the extra mile for you. My experience tells me there is usually something that can be done to bring abut meaningful improvement. But it has to start with you. I will start by recommending what I think is the best joint supplement I have found in all these years, and I take it myself for my arthritic/surgerized shoulder. It's called GLC 2000, and I have NO pain as long as I take it daily. You can find it online. They also make it for horses and dogs. Vitamin D has been shown to be very effective for fibromyalgia, taken daily. Patients in their 80's have been shown to be able to build muscle mass with weight lifting, so it's never too late. 
      Maybe we can continue this thread by folks telling us their stories of what has worked (and not worked) for their individual orthopedic problems that might have otherwise kept them out of the saddle.   Dr Q