Don’t Let Hip and Knee Pain Put Your Life on Hold

This post was sponsored by DePuy Synthes as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

This year my husband and I took a week long vacation to a spot we had wanted to visit for years – Acadia National Park in Maine. It was a gorgeous vacation, full of seafood dinners, coastal tide pools, boat rides and hiking. Lots and lots of hiking, both on flat trails and up mountains.

I was a little worried about all the hiking before this vacation, because I have osteoarthritis in my knees and know that too much activity can lead to pain and regret. We tried to be practical and started out with trails that were flat and easy. The first day we strolled down the Ship’s Harbor Trail at low tide, past mud flats and enjoyed exploring tide pools and enjoying the warm, sunny weather. 

After a few easy trails we decided to try some mountains, and hiked up some shorter trails rated as moderate, like Beech Mountain, where we were able to see the fire tower and South Bubble Mountain. I found as long as I listened to my body and took my time I was able to hike without straining my knees, although I tended to lag far, far behind my husband, as this picture shows!

While we had a fantastic vacation it would have been even better if we could have done more, and had to spend less time planning our days to alternate busy walking days with more sedentary days. I couldn’t help but notice people older than me passing me by on the trail. The trailheads for some of the more advanced hikes were full of hikers – from young children to adults decades beyond me. And I know my husband would have liked to try some of the longer hikes and seen some of the more remote locations in the park. So while my knee pain didn’t prevent us from hiking, it did restrict the hikes we attempted.

 

When you are suffering from knee or hip pain it affects more than just your ability to get around. All of a sudden you aren’t able to do all the things you used to enjoy, like hike with your husband or play with grandchildren. Personal relationships can suffer – but there are options, including joint replacement surgery. Talk to a physician who can help you discover potential solutions to your knee and hip pain! Click today and learn more at TimeToHitPlay.com.

Because life is a lot more fun when you Hit Play!