is this the one? and other worries as we find out we are not immortal

[nagantguy]

Gonna be 40 this year, still in good shape, still exercise, lift, run, martial arts, hand split 20-25 face cord of wood every summer..last Sunday helping my uncle I threw out my hip and lower back, today Friday is the first day I could get around easily, I'm talking pain on a scale.of 1-10 it was a 12 with spikes up to 20. This I an old injury, first time it happened I was in the Corps. Hasn't bothered me much in years, this last summer I threw it out, hurt real bad, 3 days later I was up and in fighting form. I know as we age things that never hurt now do, old injuries hurt more more often....what I'm wondering is, is this going to be the one that plagues me until my dying day? Yes I plan to take more precautions and keep up on lower back exercises and stretching.
As a side note, today being the first day walking, riding in a truck wasn't blinding agony I tink.i.spent it well, breakfast with a good friend, trip to the range with my brother, and now me and my daughter are gonna care for.the livestock and go to my sister's for supper.
So anyone else have a injury from back in their 10 foot tall and bullet proof days that has started giving them gentle reminders?

[OeldeWolf]

I had a back injury back in my High School days. Wrestling injury, to be exact. It is still with me at 57, can sometimes slip out and pretty incapacitate me for periods of time. Sometimes short periods, a month or longer on a few. It definitely adds additional limits on what I can do, even over and above the limits the fibromyalgia and the rheumatoid arthritis are currently imposing on me. Sometimes using a cane to remove some of the weight on your less-than-perfect hip can help you move better, or help prevent it causing you problems. YMMV, as this kind of thing is always terribly individual.

[dtknowles]

Gonna be 40 this year, still in good shape, still exercise, lift, run, martial arts, hand split 20-25 face cord of wood every summer..last Sunday helping my uncle I threw out my hip and lower back, today Friday is the first day I could get around easily, I'm talking pain on a scale.of 1-10 it was a 12 with spikes up to 20. This I an old injury, first time it happened I was in the Corps. Hasn't bothered me much in years, this last summer I threw it out, hurt real bad, 3 days later I was up and in fighting form. I know as we age things that never hurt now do, old injuries hurt more more often....what I'm wondering is, is this going to be the one that plagues me until my dying day? Yes I plan to take more precautions and keep up on lower back exercises and stretching.
As a side note, today being the first day walking, riding in a truck wasn't blinding agony I tink.i.spent it well, breakfast with a good friend, trip to the range with my brother, and now me and my daughter are gonna care for.the livestock and go to my sister's for supper.
So anyone else have a injury from back in their 10 foot tall and bullet proof days that has started giving them gentle reminders?


At 40 don't be looking at this as an age related thing. 40 is young not old. I can't diagnose your problem but it seems you are seeing real degradation not just age related sensitivity. You either need to protect against further injury or get treatment. Treatment is better sooner rather than later, you heal better when you are young and before the damage is worse. Back injuries are not always treatable and treatments are often worse than the problem so don't just go with any quack.

Tim

[tryNto]

I agree with ^^^ too young for it to be the old age return of days gone by.

[nagantguy]

Yes what treatment that can be done has been done, original injury caused bone, nerve and tendon/tissue damage. Full hip replacement is on the horizon at some point.....most days are fine, two times its put me down in less than a year both times it was strenuous lifting/pulling at awkward angles that triggered it........it is kind of an age thing happened at 19 after initial rehab recoup it didn't bother me for years, yes it's telling me it's still here and getting worse, I won't ignore the signs, and I'll step up my preventative routine and consult with my doctor and chiropractor. ...one worry of mine is get a new hip now, what happens at 80? Other worry, known three people who had new hips done, one was like new out the door, one back for 3 more surgeries and now about back.to where he was before the first one, and the third a total.fail...I know each case is diffrent, unique and variable, how bad what age life style over all health, physical therapy, desire to get better, work harder ect. This was just a vent...I know I'm a lot better off than many others and being knocked off your feet for a week isn't the end of the world,

[trails4u]

Welcome to the club, my friend!! Seriously though...my heartfelt concern and support your way. I'm dealing with the first of two hip 'remodels' right now (at the ripe ole age of 42)....it's humbling, to say the least. Much like yourself I'm active...we heat with wood, so you know that drill, I'm a wildland firefighter, avid hunter and all-around outside kinda guy. Mine's not so much injury related, as it is more wear and tear, but nonetheless it's eye-opening when we start falling apart so young!

Sounds like you take pretty good care of yourself, so I'd follow the advice above and see about getting that sucker fixed up while you're young and strong.

We really need to find a good orthopedist and see about a 'CastBoolits Discount'.

[trails4u]

By the way....hip replacement has come a long way in the last few years. The techniques have changed; http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00404. And the prosthetics are much more durable than in the past. Sounds like your lifestyle would probably still mean another replacement or two in the future....but they're getting better every day.

I've become a bit of a student here lately. The right one (just done last week) was just scoped, but the left one is too far gone to save, so it will be replaced sometime in the near future. I'll keep you posted on my research if you're interested...

God Speed. Trails.

[nagantguy]

Thanks, and my best to you as well. Hope everything works out for the best and your new oem parts give you another 60 years of good service

[popper]

When the Doc asks what hurts my previous answer was 'left hand is OK'. Can't say that anymore, fell in the movies and messed it up. A plus is my reach for playing bass is MUCH longer. This morning lower back was at the 12 scale also - gets better after a while. This last year has been a bugger. At 73, 150# of lead is a lifetime supply.

[EMC45]

Gonna be 40 this year, still in good shape, still exercise, lift, run, martial arts, hand split 20-25 face cord of wood every summer..last Sunday helping my uncle I threw out my hip and lower back, today Friday is the first day I could get around easily, I'm talking pain on a scale.of 1-10 it was a 12 with spikes up to 20. This I an old injury, first time it happened I was in the Corps. Hasn't bothered me much in years, this last summer I threw it out, hurt real bad, 3 days later I was up and in fighting form. I know as we age things that never hurt now do, old injuries hurt more more often....what I'm wondering is, is this going to be the one that plagues me until my dying day? Yes I plan to take more precautions and keep up on lower back exercises and stretching.
As a side note, today being the first day walking, riding in a truck wasn't blinding agony I tink.i.spent it well, breakfast with a good friend, trip to the range with my brother, and now me and my daughter are gonna care for.the livestock and go to my sister's for supper.
So anyone else have a injury from back in their 10 foot tall and bullet proof days that has started giving them gentle reminders?


I too will be 40 this year. I spent a lot of my young adult life PTing and pushing myself hard. Hard jobs, and at times hard living. It has caught up to me I have to admit. My knees are arthritic and my back is stiff from time to time. I really can't get over the fact that a 2 story stair climb would be this much trouble at 39. Having lived in a 1 story home for the past 15 years I took it for granted that climbing stairs is not one of my favorite things. I now am looking to move out of the house I just moved into in December to find a single story home for me and my family. This is a bummer for it sits on 28.5 acres in the mountains of east TN. I need the comfort of a one story though and not to be reminded every time I climb the stairs that the old knees are bad off.

[Hickory]

See an orthopedic doctor, good chance he'll recommend a cortisone shot.
The shot will do wonders for you hip. No need to slow down until you reach 60.

[Freightman]

Add 37 more years and see how those old injuries hurt.:groner:

[3 gun Gus]

Most of us can cut back on knee and hip pain just by loosing a few pounds. It helped me.

Gus

[tigweldit]

It ain't the years, it the miles that counts.

[Clay M]

I rode my old horse three miles today. The horse just turned 29 and I feel her pain.
I still love to ride ,but not like I use to.

[MaryB]

SynVisc shots in the knees. I have shredded the cartilage in my right and one of those ever 6 months has staved off replacement for 4 years now


I too will be 40 this year. I spent a lot of my young adult life PTing and pushing myself hard. Hard jobs, and at times hard living. It has caught up to me I have to admit. My knees are arthritic and my back is stiff from time to time. I really can't get over the fact that a 2 story stair climb would be this much trouble at 39. Having lived in a 1 story home for the past 15 years I took it for granted that climbing stairs is not one of my favorite things. I now am looking to move out of the house I just moved into in December to find a single story home for me and my family. This is a bummer for it sits on 28.5 acres in the mountains of east TN. I need the comfort of a one story though and not to be reminded every time I climb the stairs that the old knees are bad off.

[MaryB]

Hurt my low back in high school, I was 3/4 of the way down some stairs when someone slipped on ice at the top. I was basically bottom of the pile and they carried me out on a stretcher. Blew a disc, it somewhat healed but has given me trouble at least once a year up until I had back surgery to remove part of the torn up disc and bone spurs. That was 7 years ago and problems are creeping back in. Bone spurs are back, disc is about totally gone now so I have bone on bone in a few spots if I move wrong... Surgery was when I was 48...

[big bore 99]

Many years ago, I lifted a boat trailer hitch to hook it on my truck. I was mad about something(can't remember what now) and impatient. Anyway, I felt and heard something tear. That was 45 years ago and it still knocks me down a couple times a year.

[tomme boy]

I got run over by a car when I was 16 on my motorcycle. I have lived with pain ever sense I was about 24-5. I am now 44 and I feel 2x's that age I swear. Just broke my wrist about a month ago and had to have it screwed back together. Last week my elbow started to hurt really bad. Somehow, probably from when I fell, I knocked off some garbage off one of the bones. This was the same elbow that had everything ripped off of it when I got run over. Two fragments were lodged in the cartilage. So they decided last Friday to go in and take them out and clean up the area and the scar tissue from before. They said this should also take care of the tennis elbow I have.

The back pains are the worse as you know. It is there everyday and does not go away. Then all it takes is one little uneven piece of sidewalk and I'm screwed for about 2-3 weeks from shooting stabbing pain.

So yes. I have current pains from when I really felt like NOTHING could hurt me. Now I just pray for a day that I feel good enough to walk my dog around the block.

[MrWolf]

I feel your pain literally. Screwed my back 21 years ago and herniated cervical and thorasic (supposedly not common). Fast forward to now with a fall at work and have about a dozen herniations across all three regions; cervical, thorasic, and lumbar. Sucks when even laying down hurts and to top it off appears I am alergic to the carrier used in cortisone.

[mold maker]

Isn't it great being beyond the teen age years. Can we all say wish I had, and why didn't someone tell me?

[3 gun Gus]

Turning 40? They sure are cute at that age. They think they are old just wait 20 more years!

Gus

[Taylor]

29 July 1981 @1500 hrs. And it ain't got any better.As a matter of fact,it has worsened,my doctor warned me then.Knees,ankles and back.

What a good birthday...yea for me!

[MaryB]

I retired(not by choice) at 46 with low back issues, thoracic back issues, torn rotator cuffs on both shoulders, a torn up right knee, carpal tunnel in both wrists, and nerve damage in the left leg from a schwanoma(nerve sheath tumor) they removed fall of 2006, and bad bone spurs in the right hip that lock that leg from moving at times... Easier to list what still works!

[Blanket]

I have boots older than you. Get to a good doc and get on top of it Russ

[starmac]

Most of us would have taken much better care of our bodies, if we thought we would live this long.
I will agree it isn't in a lot of cases age, but the miles and sometimes just the hand you are dealt.

I was born with some deformed discs, so always even as a kid dealt with back pain. I thought it was just my lifestyle and lived with it, till I was in my 30's and in a severe accident, when the docs told me my back pain was a birth defect. I had gone to a chiropractor 3 times a week for a couple of years (they were going to fix it when I was 11 or 12, I guess the doc just wanted the money. lol

[Blackwater]

Nagantguy, I and many more here probably feel your pain. I almost literally winced just reading your post, and I suspect others will too. That's some sho' 'nuff PAIN, and it's debilitating. Sure keeps a fella' humble, and as you say, conscious that we're NOT quite the masters of our world and selves that we like to think we are oftentimes. And I hate to tell you this, but at 40, you've probably got a long intermittent trail of it ahead of you.

The good news is that now, at least, we've got some really good docs and some really good and well established proceedures too, if and when you may need surgery. So that much, at least, you DO have on your side. Surgery is never fun, but the only thing worse is not having it available when it gets to the point that it's the only real answer. MRI's tell them a LOT more than older X-rays ever can, and in much greater detail. To get specifics, they used to have to do some "exploratory" surgery, often calling it something else so as to not pique concerns in the patient. I've been the recipient of some truly exceptional surgery, if not outright amazing stuff, from a really exceptional neurosurgeon. And BTW, if you can find a neurosurgeon to do the op when and if it becomes necessary, take these over the orthopoedists ANY day! That's been my experience, and that of a lot of others I've kept up with for the past 30+ years now. That and putting it off until it becomes clear that you need the surgery is all the advice I can give on the subject, and check out your doc. I mainly look for someone's character generally, when doing this. It takes a good many phone calls and questions to find out enough to tell you whether you trust this man to cut on you when you're out of it or not, but it's worth it. Most people don't or won't do this, but I've been as lucky as I have, I think, partly due to my investigating the surgeons recommended by my docs. I cancelled a couple of proceeedures due to what I found out thusly. Don't know for sure if I turned down a good surgeon, but all I can know, really, is that the ones I've had have given me extraordinary results. I just wish I didn't have more issues yet to be dealt with.

Maybe someone here can give you good advice on when to consider surgery. I'm not the best one to testify on that. The above is just what I've done and the results (possibly just lucky?) that I've gotten. Many recommendations come from insurance and doctor's groups and "who's in with who." Generally, I don't trust new, young surgeons, and on my initial visit, I try to get an inkling of whether this is the kind of man I think I can trust with my life. It's not that terribly reliable, but I've done pretty good with it so far. I think it makes a difference, and so far, at least, it seems to have done just that. Most people feel obligated to take whoever is recommended, but I guess I never will. Have also known to many people who've been in the ER and told stories about the things that go on in there. It's humbling to talk to these types. Sometimes I wish I hadn't! Wishing you well here.