My body is broken

[rajncajn]

Just a few years ago I had to have ortho done in my left knee for a torn meniscus. Now I've gone and done it on my right knee, just because I have some weird obsession with balance in my life. I am a libra, after all.

Getting old(er) sucks and I'm well into feeling why people would warn me not to do some of the stupid things I would do in my youth. It's funny that you don't ever learn the lesson of "just because you can,  doesn't mean you should" when it comes to physical limitations. As a guy, it's hard to admit or accept needing help when, at the time, you're more than physically capable. But it sure does come back to bite you down the road.

What ailments y'all got? Adding to the crappy knees, I've had lower back issues for a number of years to varying degree. Lately it's a bit of sciatica, but nothing major as of yet. 

[Big Country]

My running joke is that if asked, the list of what doesn't hurt is shorter than what does.

Right shoulder is a major issue for me - can not throw a ball overhand, issues with external rotation, etc. Been well over a year now. Started physical therapy a year ago, but as two of my kids were also in PT at the time, I could not afford to keep going, as my priority was getting them healthy for their high school sports. Now I just manage - try to do the stretches/strengthening exercises as often as possible, but sudden movements and certain angles just trigger/reset it. Nothing is torn, I pass all rotator cuff tests, etc., likely just chronic inflammation of some of the muscles/tendons in there. Perhaps time to buckle down and push for a cortisone shot.

Recently also having left elbow issues - more like strained extensor muscles, really feel it if gripping something and rotating (insert childish jokes here with this softball). Thinking I must have done something and it just needs time to heal - been about a month with this one, seems to slowly be getting better.

Longer term have ankle issues stemming from multiple injuries in my high school/college basketball days and not really letting them ever heal correctly before pushing to get back on the court. Not really an issue, mainly low mobility.

[Def.]

Took 3 years and 3 surgeries to get over frozen shoulder for my left arm.  Happy to be able to raise my arm above my shoulder now, but there are still noticeable limitations even 4 years later.  Doc (who's now retired) said it was one of the worst cases he's ever dealt with. 

Now I'm dealing with tennis elbow in my right arm.  Just finished two months in a brace and it actually feels worse now then when I started.  Can't fully extend my arm or reach across my body (or even wash my hair) without some really nasty shooting pain.  Seeing doc tomorrow, don't know where this is going to lead.   

 

[rajncajn]

58 minutes ago, Big Country said:

My running joke is that if asked, the list of what doesn't hurt is shorter than what does.

Right shoulder is a major issue for me - can not throw a ball overhand, issues with external rotation, etc. Been well over a year now. Started physical therapy a year ago, but as two of my kids were also in PT at the time, I could not afford to keep going, as my priority was getting them healthy for their high school sports. Now I just manage - try to do the stretches/strengthening exercises as often as possible, but sudden movements and certain angles just trigger/reset it. Nothing is torn, I pass all rotator cuff tests, etc., likely just chronic inflammation of some of the muscles/tendons in there. Perhaps time to buckle down and push for a cortisone shot.

Recently also having left elbow issues - more like strained extensor muscles, really feel it if gripping something and rotating (insert childish jokes here with this softball). Thinking I must have done something and it just needs time to heal - been about a month with this one, seems to slowly be getting better.

Longer term have ankle issues stemming from multiple injuries in my high school/college basketball days and not really letting them ever heal correctly before pushing to get back on the court. Not really an issue, mainly low mobility.

Lol, the whole time I was reading the first part of your post I was devising a sophomoric response. My go-to is you need to try some strange and switch hands.

On the shoulder, I've got a coworker that just had surgery on his. Sometimes an MRI is the only way to tell what's really wrong,  but some doctors are hesitant to do them. I've followed the same thought pattern as you though. You want to wait to see if it gets better with time,  but it seems the older you get,  the less anything gets better.

The ankle issues I really get. I never played basketball in school because I was too short, but I spent nearly every day playing in the summertime. That and tennis. Many jammed fingers, twisted ankles, a strained Achilles and stained extendor? tendon (the one on top of the ankle) or two.

[Bobby Brown]

I'm pretty fortunate so far

[stevegrab]

I think knowing ones age and some background on their activity might help. I'll keep mine short, which means 1000 words or less. 58 and never played a lot of organized sports, but spent plenty of time playing sports and at the park. Riding skateboards and bicycles and crashing, lots of crashing. Then around 35 I started riding motorcycles, mostly sportier machines and the body definitely takes a pounding from the bumps in the road that most cars or more comfy (cruiser) bikes may soak up. Lots of years with 8-10 thousand miles ridden. 

Sciatica - kept having back trouble, originally it was thought to be one thing and later diagnosed as sciatic nerve pain. PT really helped and I continue doing those stretching exercises regularly. (It is similar to carpel tunnel, the nerves run thru the glute muscle and keeping them lose is key.)

Just last week I got my eyes checked, have worn glasses for distance since I was in middle school. It was 3 years since I had them checked, things were getting harder, and family history had me on the alert for cataracts. Sure enough I've got a pretty bad one in my left eye, very cloudy/blurry and only have 20-40 vision in that eye. Have a consultation for potential surgery on Friday. (Both my parents had them done, and 2 of my brothers, one of them at nearly the same age.)

That's about all, stuff hurts, I feel 100 when I roll over in bed in the morning. But I can still do a lot of what I did 15-20 years ago. Was climbing the ladder cleaning gutters yesterday, felt pretty wiped after but not as much as I expected today. 

[Big John]

1 hour ago, rajncajn said:

It's funny that you don't ever learn the lesson of "just because you can,  doesn't mean you should" when it comes to physical limitations.

 sunysteelfly76 hadn't been here for 11 years (had similar sigline)

[darin3]

26 minutes ago, Bobby Brown said:

I'm pretty fortunate so far

Me too, even with years of a sedentary lifestyle with a terrible diet.

My doctor told me to get on a diabetic's diet even though I wasn't even "pre-diabetic" (yet).

I've since been exercising a lot and have changed the diet.  In just a few short months I've dropped 20 lbs., and my blood tests came back with great results.

My knees are fine, hips too.  I did bust my Achilles about 15 years ago, but aside from that I've been real lucky.

[rajncajn]

16 minutes ago, stevegrab said:

I think knowing ones age and some background on their activity might help. I'll keep mine short, which means 1000 words or less. 58 and never played a lot of organized sports, but spent plenty of time playing sports and at the park. Riding skateboards and bicycles and crashing, lots of crashing. Then around 35 I started riding motorcycles, mostly sportier machines and the body definitely takes a pounding from the bumps in the road that most cars or more comfy (cruiser) bikes may soak up. Lots of years with 8-10 thousand miles ridden. 

Sounds similar to me. Turning 52 soon.  Very active in my younger years and still pretty physically active,  though my muscle tone in the past couple of years has fallen to my gut. Biking, football, tennis and basketball well into my 20s and 30s but the only "organized" sports I played past elementary age was men's flag football. I was 5-10, 145 soaking wet when I graduated high school so I wasn't apt to getting killed on a field or spend my high school years riding a bench. I was a tough dude, but tough still gets the snot knocked out of you when the guy you're facing has 50+ lbs on you and you have to play by rules.

But being a smaller guy growing up put a huge chip on my shoulder and I've never liked being told I can't do something, even when it's my own common sense that's saying it. So I still do a lot of physical things that I really know I shouldn't.

[Big Country]

1 hour ago, stevegrab said:

(It is similar to carpel tunnel, the nerves run thru the glute muscle and keeping them lose is key.)

@rajncajn Missed opportunity for the sophomoric joke about @stevegrab keeping his glutes loose. You are losing your touch.

[rajncajn]

53 minutes ago, Big Country said:

@rajncajn Missed opportunity for the sophomoric joke about @stevegrab keeping his glutes loose. You are losing your touch.

Ha! I was close to making a comment about him taking a pounding on the bumps. Maybe he shouldn't wear the assless chaps when taking his buddies for a ride on the hog. 

I figured it was very un-pc of me, but since you called me out. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by rajncajn

[Bobby Brown]

1 hour ago, Big Country said:

@rajncajn Missed opportunity for the sophomoric joke about @stevegrab keeping his glutes loose. You are losing your touch.

He's breaking my butt.  

 

[loaf]

recently diagnosed with back arthritis. I quite often wake up with pretty bad back pain

[rajncajn]

1 hour ago, loaf said:

recently diagnosed with back arthritis. I quite often wake up with pretty bad back pain

Are you a back, front or side sleeper? I'm a side sleeper and I bought one of those knee pillows and it has helped me quite a bit. This is the one I have:

Contour Legacy Leg & Knee Foam Support Pillow - Soothing Pain Relief for Sciatica, Back, Hips https://a.co/d/4wMy5KD

[6kings]

6’2 235 65 years old and have been pretty fortunate with no ailments as of yet 

Do wear a cpap for sleep apnea 

Did have a colonoscopy last week and they found nothing so I guess I’m a perfect ass hole😀 

[Bobby Brown]

Took vacation this week.  Today went on a 8.2 round trip day hike to the base of a glacier.  There were lots of 60 to 70 year old plus hikers.  Many of them coming down from multi day trips where they hiked, camped, and did technical routes on or near the glacier.  

You know, ropes, axes, etc.

They all seemed very happy with their state of the art hiking gear and knowing that backpacking with limited weight is the key to happiness in the wilderness. They will live long and happy. 

Going over 8 miles kicked the crap out of my smallest dog.  I carried him out the part of the last 2 miles. It was a somewhat odd hike in these parts where you start out losing 2k feet elevation, gain 2k, turn around and do it again. Most are huge elevation gain up and downhill after destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[stevegrab]

Bobby, are you at Glacier National Park? Curious as I visited about 10 years ago on a motorcycle trip. The main road (Going to the Sun road) was still closed in late June, and then our time was cut short by a big rain storm that combined with cool temps that included snow around 5000 feet. Still saw some glaciers but didn't have time to explore much. 

[Bobby Brown]

3 hours ago, stevegrab said:

Bobby, are you at Glacier National Park? Curious as I visited about 10 years ago on a motorcycle trip. The main road (Going to the Sun road) was still closed in late June, and then our time was cut short by a big rain storm that combined with cool temps that included snow around 5000 feet. Still saw some glaciers but didn't have time to explore much. 

Day hike at the local mountain.

[irish]

Alright, I'll add to this. I'm going to be 45.  I know I'm younger than most of you fellas in here but I'm finally at the age where some of you were when I first started here and I saw you complaining about being/feeling old. 

The funny line in my house, which my wife and kids will now yell out randomly because of how much I've said it (most times in a ridiculous, old man voice,  is,"My back hurts!"  It's hysterical when my 7 year old daughter grabs her lower back and yells it. 

As for why (beyond all the sports)...

Over a decade ago, I coached my oldest son's soccer team in a rec league from when he was 5 through his early HS days. It literally became like a family, especially because we were allowed to keep the same team together all the way through.  Well, game after game whenever a kid would score their first goal ever, which we tracked, I'd run out onto the field and pick the kid up dancing him around,  celebrating the moment, while the parents cheered and all the other kids danced around the scoring kid. The kids all knew it was coming and couldn't wait, even the kids on the other teams would look to see if it was gonna happen. 

Well, we were down to the last kid who hadn't scored yet. His name was Kevin and he was a rather large boy who only played defense and occasionally, goalie. The kids were about 12 now and Kevin, was pretty large. One of the other coaches, Rob, said, "Today, if we get a PK opportunity, we're sending Kevin up." And he said,"I hope you're ready." 

Sure enough, late in the first half, one of our forwards gets tripped in the box and we get a PK.  Rob, without hesitation, yells, "Get up there, Kevin, you take it!"  Kevin, by the way, might not be swift of foot, but he has a howitzer for a leg, and he nails the attempt putting the ball in the upper right of the net. So, I take off right towards the kid, while the other kids begin the celebrating.  As I get to him and begin to hoist him into the air, he panicks (probably because no one had picked him up since he's 5), and he pushes against me and begins to fall backwards. Well, I re-center myself but am basically holding this kid up with just my arms at this point, which completely blows out my lower back. 

I put the kid down and make my way to the sideline, telling Rob as I get there, that I'm all F'ed up. I have never been the same since that day and will pull my back out several times a year in the exact spot, which is breath-takingly painful!  I'll pull my back out in the most ridiculous ways too - sneezing, bending over to pull my pants up, putting socks on, etc. 

He was the last kid I ever lifted in celebration. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by irish

[gilthorp]

You have a slipped/ruptured disc.

[irish]

30 minutes ago, gilthorp said:

You have a slipped/ruptured disc.

Have you experienced the same issue?  It's my lower right back, and the pain permeates through to what seems like my abdomen. It never causes pain down into my legs. 

Btw, just curious, why do you never quote a person's post that you're responding to?  It certainly would make it easier to see that you responded or have feedback. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by irish

[gilthorp]

Same issue fixed with surgery in 19'. Get an MRI and take it to someone who knows their sh!t.

[Bier Meister]

both ankles, both shoulders, knee, back

bleh

[FinishTheDrill]

On 8/7/2023 at 3:10 PM, rajncajn said:

Just a few years ago I had to have ortho done in my left knee for a torn meniscus. Now I've gone and done it on my right knee, just because I have some weird obsession with balance in my life. I am a libra, after all.

Getting old(er) sucks and I'm well into feeling why people would warn me not to do some of the stupid things I would do in my youth. It's funny that you don't ever learn the lesson of "just because you can,  doesn't mean you should" when it comes to physical limitations. As a guy, it's hard to admit or accept needing help when, at the time, you're more than physically capable. But it sure does come back to bite you down the road.

What ailments y'all got? Adding to the crappy knees, I've had lower back issues for a number of years to varying degree. Lately it's a bit of sciatica, but nothing major as of yet. 

 

Positionally undersized and overachieving on competitive sports teams my whole life followed by a few decades of coaching have taken a toll.  Despite that an no matter what, one cant sit still.  Gotta keep going even if it hurts.  

Look back at it Rajn... would you really have had it any other way?  

[FinishTheDrill]

On 8/7/2023 at 3:10 PM, rajncajn said:

Just a few years ago I had to have ortho done in my left knee for a torn meniscus. Now I've gone and done it on my right knee, just because I have some weird obsession with balance in my life. I am a libra, after all.

Getting old(er) sucks and I'm well into feeling why people would warn me not to do some of the stupid things I would do in my youth. It's funny that you don't ever learn the lesson of "just because you can,  doesn't mean you should" when it comes to physical limitations. As a guy, it's hard to admit or accept needing help when, at the time, you're more than physically capable. But it sure does come back to bite you down the road.

What ailments y'all got? Adding to the crappy knees, I've had lower back issues for a number of years to varying degree. Lately it's a bit of sciatica, but nothing major as of yet. 

 

Here's what I say to you-  Congrats.  

If you are an adult male and your body isnt banged up, you havent lived.  

Every time I feel a pain in my right foot... by left knee, both my shoulders, I smile at youthful adventures and battles won and lost.  

Any less and it was wasted potential.  

Dont let anyone tell you different.   And (the really bad word) em if they try.