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.
I have always tried to stay active but I have noticed that it is not as easy now that I am over 50! My knees ache if I do lots of climbing or walking and sometimes I get twinges in my hips. The first time I really noticed an issue was about five years ago, after I spent a day walking around the Syracuse Nationals car show with my husband. We walked and walked on hard pavement and I think my step counter showed over 25000 steps that day as we admired hundreds of classic cars. By the next morning one of my knees was swollen and sore.
I headed to the doctor that week, and he told me that I had osteoarthritis, a diagnosis I share with over 30 million Americans. I received a steroid injection in my knee and thankfully it improved relatively quickly. After that I learned to slow down a little and take rest breaks, but it is important to me to keep doing the things that I love. I have also noticed that too little activity can be as bad as too much. Frequently the worst days for pain are the days I spend inside sitting at the computer all day!
So I make time every day to be active, making changes and slowing down as I need to. I go to the gym a few times a week and while my knees making running on the treadmill unwise, I can still power walk, use the elliptical machines and take Zumba classes. Now that the weather is finally warming up I have been riding my bike, getting yard work done and taking the dogs to the dog park to play.
Right now my joint pain is not bad, but if it gets worse I know there are still options that I can pursue that will enable me to do the things I love. My mother had a knee replacement when she was 69, and it was very helpful for her. She loves to garden, but at that time lived in a house on rather steep hill. Gardening on a hill with bad knees is tough! After recovering from the surgery she was able to not only keep gardening on her hill but actually expanded her flower garden to make it even larger.
So if you are dealing with hip and knee pain or limited mobility don’t feel like your life is on pause. Stop waiting and find a physician in your area who you can talk to about potential solutions to your hip and knee pain, including joint replacement surgery. Life is a lot more fun when you Hit Play.
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