Getting old and hiking

[retired jerry]

I was just looking at "CHs shortcut" near Bald Mt. - great idea, I got to try that

I hope you are continuing to recover. Reading the details, that sounds really major.

[Limey]

I'm reviving this thread because I am frustrated. Okay, I'm feeling sorry for myself and just want to whine. I don't have a serious medical issue like some of you have but it is definitely putting a cramp in my hiking style.
Last year an unacceptable situation at work forced me into early retirement, I'm 63. Shortly thereafter I started having pain in my left arm, mid humorous. Life went on till I suddenly couldn't move my arm without experiencing excruciating pain. The docs said I had frozen shoulder. X-rays showed there were no bone spurs or other skeletal issues so I was started on exercises. Things improved slightly for a couple of weeks then got even worse. I am one of the unfortunate few who are unable to take pain meds, I have weird reactions to them, so a search was on for pain control. I do have an extremely high pain tolerance but after weeks of no relief it was taking its toll. My hubbies chiropractor said he's had a lot of success with frozen shoulder so I'm now going to him once a week and am glad to say the pain is more manageable. Also my range of motion is slightly improved. My issue is with the biceps, deltoid and supraspinatus. I'm unable to carry a pack so we've only been doing 3 to 4 mile hikes on fairly level ground as for some reason going uphill really aggravates my arm. Our usual hiking is bushwhacking exploration. We've tried a couple of times but after flinging my left arm out for balance and almost passing out from the resulting pain, we've had to give that up. Needless to say, I'm getting out of shape fast and that is not good at my age. Gotta keep moving. Wow, this really was a sob fest but this has been going on for 6 months now and it's really interfering with my plans for this year. Sorry for making you suffer through this but at least it made me feel better. HaHa.

Marilyn

[retired jerry]

I'm right behind you

My knee was sore for about a year, but not enough to make that much difference, then I tried Glucosamine and Condroitin and it got better within a month and I stopped taking it. Probably was coincidence but I think they say that it can be effective and at least there are few side effects.

There are a lot of nice trails that might be easier than off-trail.

Yeah, I try to keep active without over-exerting. So easy to have some injury that prevents hiking and backpacking from then on.

I got forced retirement which was excellent. Otherwise I would have probably continued working. You just have to spend less than whatever your income is.

[Guy]

Marilyn, have you tried "getting plenty of fresh air & sleeping with the bedroom window open"

Sorry but I thought that hearing from another Limey the standard Medical advise given out for 95% of all aliments in England might bring a smile to your face ..

I do hope you are up & mobile again soon.

[Limey]

Thanks Guy and Jerry, nice to have a little commiseration. Being the stubborn person that I am (just ask my friends) I will not give up hiking even if it is only 3 or 4 miles at a time. I thought about duct taping my arm to my body to prevent incidents but I think hubby might be slightly embarrassed if we met someone on the trail. They tell me frozen shoulder will resolve on its own in two to three years so there is an end in sight one way or the other. Anyway, I'll be sure to get exercise and keep that bedroom window open along with a stiff upper lip and my usual m.o. ignore it and it will go away.

Marilyn

[Splintercat]

I just hope I make it to retirement, Marilyn! Turned 51 in January, and unlikely to retire for another 10 years. For me, work involves sitting on my butt a LOT -- I spend at least 6 hours a day in meetings, sometimes 8-10 hours. The "old" factor that emerged maybe 5 or 6 years ago was my hamstrings getting really sore and inflamed from all that sitting -- especially in crappy chairs that put pressure right behind my knees. Looked it up and found it described as "lawn chair syndrome", which makes perfect sense, but the remedy is to STOP SITTING IN CHAIRS THAT DO THAT!

Well, it turns out that is really hard to to when I'm at work. The very weird part is that my hamstrings acting up don't really affect my hiking -- but -- the syndrome also causes my knees to swell up, and that's where it becomes a problem. So, I've figured out various work-arounds to keep everything under control, but if ONLY I could be on my feet more! Some of my folks are looking into sit/stand desks, and that's a good solution for people who spend a lot of time on the computer, but that's not where I have a problem...

On the plus side, I rarely have limitations on getting out there, save for being out of shape in the winter months... so count me as a happy camper, for sure!

I never watch medical shows because by the end of the episode I'm convinced I'm suffering from the symptoms in the show...

Thanks for the laugh, Guy - we all have our inner Woody Allen..!

Tom

[Roy]

I'm reviving this thread because I am frustrated. Okay, I'm feeling sorry for myself and just want to whine. I don't have a serious medical issue like some of you have but it is definitely putting a cramp in my hiking style.
Last year an unacceptable situation at work forced me into early retirement, I'm 63. Shortly thereafter I started having pain in my left arm, mid humorous. Life went on till I suddenly couldn't move my arm without experiencing excruciating pain. The docs said I had frozen shoulder. X-rays showed there were no bone spurs or other skeletal issues so I was started on exercises. Things improved slightly for a couple of weeks then got even worse. I am one of the unfortunate few who are unable to take pain meds, I have weird reactions to them, so a search was on for pain control. I do have an extremely high pain tolerance but after weeks of no relief it was taking its toll. My hubbies chiropractor said he's had a lot of success with frozen shoulder so I'm now going to him once a week and am glad to say the pain is more manageable. Also my range of motion is slightly improved. My issue is with the biceps, deltoid and supraspinatus. I'm unable to carry a pack so we've only been doing 3 to 4 mile hikes on fairly level ground as for some reason going uphill really aggravates my arm. Our usual hiking is bushwhacking exploration. We've tried a couple of times but after flinging my left arm out for balance and almost passing out from the resulting pain, we've had to give that up. Needless to say, I'm getting out of shape fast and that is not good at my age. Gotta keep moving. Wow, this really was a sob fest but this has been going on for 6 months now and it's really interfering with my plans for this year. Sorry for making you suffer through this but at least it made me feel better. HaHa.

Marilyn

You should have an mri on that shoulder six months is a reasonable time to wait that's really the only way to see what's wrong. If you wait to long and they have to repair something your rehab will be longer from atrophied muscles.

Good luck.

[Limey]

Thanks for the concern Roy. I'm afraid an mri is out as I don't have insurance and even if surgery was indicated I wouldn't be able to afford it, so why waste money on the mri. I am happy to report though that the chiropractic treatments have drastically reduced the pain levels and I have some improvement in range of motion. Still can't carry a pack so we've been doing short hikes and even some bushwhacking. So, as far as I'm concerned, things are really looking up. The thing that bugs me right now (apart from curtailed hiking) is that I still have trouble driving. For some reason it really exacerbates my shoulder issues even though i'm not using that arm. I actually think I'm pretty lucky considering the things some people on this site are going through. Thanks again.


Marilyn

[RobFromRedland]

I have had intermittent problems with my knees for quite a few years now, and injured one of them doing Eagle Cap last year. After it didn't get a lot better, I decided to go to see a physical therapist. Her suggestions for exercises and stretching has made a great deal of difference in my knees when hiking.

I would highly recommend this course of action. It worked for my wife with her back as well.