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Wait a minute, I have arthritis?
I don't mind writing about health issues relating to aging but I'm not supposed to have them myself. Right? When my knee started bothering me in December I went to my sports podiatrist. He checked me out, was unsure what it was, but was certain it wasn't anything major and then sent me off to a specialist. Having had a lifetime of healthy knees I was confident that I had a minor problem that RICE (rest, icing, compression, and elevation) would take care of. Boy was I in for a surprise.
Sitting in the waiting room I noticed two things. First was a book on knees written by my doctor. This is good, I thought, he's an expert enough to have authored a book on the subject. The second thing were photographs of him standing with various Lakers and Clippers basketball players. Also a good sign I thought. He understands athletes and their need to be back out on the floor night after night. While I'm no professional athlete, I do like to workout every day and I loathe taking even a day off--especially for something as minor as a twinge in my knee.
I was then called into the examination room. This is where the good times ended. Without even looking at my knee, my doctor had a diagnosis and it wasn't good. In fact it was fatal. He said, "You're old. Your knees are old. We'll do an MRI to confirm but I'm almost 100% certain that you have osteoarthritis of the knee. Years of running and biking have worn away the cartilage in your knee. It is a normal part of aging and there is no reversing it. It normally happens to people much older but for runners and other athletes it can happen even younger."
I stammered, "What can be done about it?"
"Nothing really. Through physical therapy you can learn to live with it but it won't ever go away."
You need to understand that up until 4 weeks ago I had almost never had a pain in this knee. I was training for my 6th Ironman race, this one in China (which I chronicle on the Triathlete Magazine website). I was shopping for a new triathlon racing bike. Now I'm being told that if I want to do these things I'll have to do them without my left knee, because it is too old for such activities. When did I become too old to do the things that I love?
An MRI confirmed his diagnosis and 3 days later I was at my first physical therapy appointment where I was made to feel even older. For anyone who has been to physical therapy (or PT as they like to call it) you know that they treat everyone as if they are frail and fragile. My PT therapist was a nice person but she would say things like "Are you able to sit up on this table? or "Let's start with walking across the room with these 5 pound weights, can you do that?" Just a month ago I was riding 80 miles and then following it up with a hilly run. Now I've been reduced to questions about my ability to make it across the room with these little tiny weights.
To say this is depressing is an understatement, but this is where I have to catch myself. Yes, I may not be able to accomplish this year's stated goal of competing in the China Ironman race (140 miles of swimming, biking and running). But perhaps this was an unrealistic goal for me anyway. Shouldn't I be glad that my most serious medical problem is a little knee pain? Who knows, with physical therapy the pain may go away. The fact is that I am aging and with aging are going to come new issues and consequences of the passage of time. This is true for everyone but the people who maintain perspective and a positive attitude are the ones that have a much better trip through middle age than the ones holding on to the hope that aging is something that only happened to others.
I know how lucky I am to have participated in endurance sports for as long as I have. And I hope to be able to continue doing them--maybe even another Ironman. But I now understand that my body gets to have a say in this decision as well as my mind. I might find that the next phase of physical activity for me is going to involve a lot more swimming and a lot less running, and I should feel blessed to be able to do even that. Many, many folks would love the opportunity to do these and there will become a time in my life that I will have to curtail them as well. On LifeTwo we write a lot about the importance of gratitude and today I am committing myself to live those words, not just write about them.
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Nothing can be done!
You might want to get a second opinion.
You are old is not a diagnosis.
I'm really surprised you accepted this. Why aren't you pissed?
I don't care who he treats or what book he wrote. He may be used to dealing with only the best of the best and when you walked in wrote you off.
My doc explained: The knee is held together by ligaments and muscles. If those are stronger, then then knee is stronger.
Hope the PT helps.
If not, you wouldn't consider a replacement? Zimmer has a "active lifestyle" knee replacement. Disclosure: I'm an owner of Zimmer (stock) :-)
Mid-life should not mean giving up the things you love.
Why do I have to tell you this???? :-)
-- http://goinglikesixty.com
thanks goinglikesixty
Honestly I think he was just being frank. He said that the issue I have would not benefit from surgery and having just had surgery on my foot in early 2007 I'm not too interested in going under the knife again.
As for the 2nd opinion, I have the MRI report, which is pretty explicit, and tied to his analysis. I also have the physical therapist.
I've spoken to many physicians, trainers, and coaches over the past year and they are near unanimous in the problems caused by running. Unfortunately, the type of running I like is competitive running over long distances. I just love to run, but it has come at a price.
Right now I'm focusing on strengthening all of the ligaments and muscles around it--just as you suggested. After that, knowing my nature, I'll be out there running. But at the same time I understand that like it or not I will have to adjust what I do to the realities of life. I have planned on riding my bike across the United States when my kids go off to college. Might be time to rethink that one.
Thanks for the tip on Zimmer.
Wesley Hein Wesley [at] lifetwo [dot] com Sign up for the LifeTwo Newsletter!
HELP
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED USING NATURAL VITAMINS AND MINERALS; I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OVER 8 YEARS AGO AND PUT ON RETALIN (IT WORKED BUT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE AND MY OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE COULD HAVE CAUSED SKIN CANCER BY USING IT).
I STARTED TAKING GLUCOSAMINE CHONDROITIN AND COD LIVER OIL CAPSULES; I DON'T HAVE THE INFLAMATION AND PAIN; I AM ALMOST 60 AND CAN STILL SIT INDIAN STYLE BUT CAN'T STAY IN ONE POSITION LONG OR I GET STIFF.
I ALSO WEAR COPPER MAGNETIZED BRACELETS AND A HEMATITE ANKLE BRACELET. THE TIMES I HAVE TAKEN THEM OFF I START HAVING PAIN IN MY JOINTS AND WITH AN HOUR OF PUTTING THEM BACK ON THE PAIN STOPS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP YOUR LIFESTYLE BUT DON'T PUSH AS HARD ALL THE TIME; SLACK OFF ON THE TRAINING A LITTLE AND SPEND A LITTLE TIME ENJOYING YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND LIFE.
GO FOR THE IRONMAN AS LONG AS YOU CAN BUT DON'T TAKE UNNECCESSARY PUNISHMENT; THE HARDER YOU TREAT YOUR BODY NOW THE MORE TROUBLE IT WILL GIVE YOU AS YOU GROW OLDER.
THE BROKEN BONES AND SPRAINS SHOW UP LATER IN LIFE AS REMINDERS.
Thanks for the advice
I'm taking a healthy dose of supplements prescribed by a nutritionist far smarter than me. However he didn't take into account my osteoarthritis since I wasn't having the problem when he came up with the regimen. I'll check out your suggestions.
I probably won't go the magnet route since I've read too many articles debunking them. Even if they had the ability to work they probably wouldn't work with me because I don't believe in them.
Agree about taking it easy. If/when I get better I'm going to have to do soul searching about what I should and shouldn't be doing. I do enjoy swimming quite a bit (and swim about 5 hours a week) so I have that to fall back on. Cycling might also be an option, I'll just have to see.
You are so right about the broken bones, et. al., showing up later. More and more research is pointing at things that happened even when we were young as the beginnings of the problems late in life. While it is an extreme example, it's sad to see retired football players who can barely walk.
Wesley Hein Wesley [at] lifetwo [dot] com Sign up for the LifeTwo Newsletter!
I'm surprised he didnt tell
I'm surprised he didnt tell you to stop running. I was diagnosed at age 38 (4 years ago) with OA in the knee(s) and was told to stop running. I wasnt anywhere near ironman distances either, but I really mourned the loss of running in my life. The doctor did say that cycling was GOOD for OA.
Maybe we need someone to come up with new sport for us "oldies", a duathlon of swimming and cycling perhaps? A triathlon with a walk instead of a run?
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