Avoid this type of knee injury

[Denray]

About 6 months before I retired, 10-15, I started doing more under sink inspecting by being on my knees, like my son's father-in-law does all the time who has been in the trades forever. After a while my knees started feeling a little weird. I backed off, but a few weeks later I came up with the brilliant idea of getting some nice knee pads to use in low clearance attics so I could knee my way out over ceiling joists. Wrong. Started making my knees feel crappy again. I could still go on hikes and bike rides with little effect. My retirement came and that was the end of those moves. Well, I went on a vacation to UK in late September, which was after no more joist action, and ended up doing a lot of pavement walking, like 7+ miles on 7 different occasions. That started my right knee talking to me. I also did a bunch of trail hiking, but it was after the concrete stuff that it would bother me. Since I got back there has been no more concrete walking for me. It's bicycle or no go. It's been 7 weeks since I quit the crete and am feeling much better. Just standing on concrete would bug me. It's that right angle move where your tibia is pushing up laterally across your femur that seems to be the problem. 

[Nolan Kienitz]

The "maturing" of America (and us inspectors) ... I won't say: "aging". 

Inspector friend of mine has now had knee surgery in past couple of years. Mine are dicey and I'm trying to be as careful as I can. Have also been using knee pads for many, many years.

I'm only about a year behind you Denny with full/complete retirement.

[Bill Kibbel]

After I hit 50, my left knee "pops" out when walking back down very steep roofs.  It's really painful for days.  I wear a brace now.

[Denray]

I backed off this ache twice and when it started bugging on walking concrete I've backed off that. Seems to be coming along. I do a couple of laps on a 700 vertical hill once or twice a week. Jog downhill and the knee barely knows it. I would of given up the attic joist crawl if I were still doing inspections. Seemed like a great idea at the time. When crawling below the house it's not often that there is a straight 90 degree angle of pressure.

A few years back I did my first 6+ mile walk around SF with my wife, her idea. My right heel has been slightly pissed off ever since. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and can barely put any weight on it, then after about 5 minutes it's 98% gone. 

The joys of concrete.

 

[John Kogel]

My retirement home has a concrete slab floor, so we walk on concrete all the time. But there is a thin layer of foam under floating oak flooring. I love not having a damp crawlspace anymore.

Take care of your joints. Running downhill sounds like trouble to me. I was a forestry tech for many years and injured various parts of my body. At the end of that career, I was climbing cliffs ion the North Coast in search of big cedar for heli-logging, hurt my knee. I was dragging my left leg around then and by the time i got in to a doctor, my right thigh was visibly larger than my left. He told me I had arthritis, well duh, who doesn't? That brilliant diagnosis prevented me from getting worker's compensation. So I got a layoff and became a home inspector. Now my knees are much older, but not screwed up too bad. Cycling and walking, but no jogging for me. Get good shoes. All my years outdoors gave me good lungs and general good health, but try to prevent that bone on bone contact. Cheers.

[Charlie R]

It's been a couple of years since I got my Medicare card and my left knee has just started in bothering me. Tweaked it cutting grass on a hill this summer, never quite healed. Like Bill, it hurts going down stairs or down slopes, not up stairs or up slopes. wearing a brace certainly helps.  Try to walk 2 miles a day, usually on asphalt but with good shoes/boots. I'm in this business for another 10 months or so, then it's on to something else. I hate those attic joist crawls!

[Jerry Simon]

Buncha whining old farts. . .

[Marc]

1 hour ago, Jerry Simon said:

Buncha whining old farts. . .

Yep.  This place full of 'em.

[Jim Katen]

12 hours ago, Denray said:

A few years back I did my first 6+ mile walk around SF with my wife, her idea. My right heel has been slightly pissed off ever since. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and can barely put any weight on it, then after about 5 minutes, it's 98% gone. 

 

That's the classic symptom of plantar fasciitis. 

[Tom Raymond]

I have plantar fasciitis. Arch supports are a life saver. 

[Denray]

I have about half of those symptoms. My heel felt a little weird all day yesterday. Went and did two laps on the 700 footer. Woke up this morning and no pain at all. 
Retirement is cool. Sometimes I don't have phone with me. When I do if I don't recognize a ph number I don't pick it up. Fire up my main puter 1/3 as much. Have less fondness for Realtors. Not missing the crap houses at all. 

Things could be worse.

[Jim Katen]

Yeah, but your urine has gotten really dark. 

[Denray]

You should have seen it 3 years ago before the bladder tumor was yanked out!

[John Kogel]

OK, when we start posting urine samples it's time to pull the plug!

You can keep the catheter or the IV drip, but we'll have to cutoff the WiFi..

 

 

Edited December 2, 2017 by John Kogel

[Darren]

I just got a complete knee replacement on my right knee 4 weeks ago.

I got another 8 weeks of rehab. It ain't fun

[Denray]

Seems like the knee problem is gone.
I got some marathon running shoes designed for running on concrete and the heel thing is gone. I can put bad shoes on and it does not come back, of course I don't do a long hike etc. in the bad shoes.
Last day of ski vacation a person on the far right of the chair lift decides they want to go off to the left when getting off. He crosses over onto the tails of my wife's skis, spins her out, falls on her, breaks her tibia, and snaps the ACL. On 4-20 I trip on our deck and slam my ribs into a metal chair. Too much fun.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Denray

[Jim Katen]

11 hours ago, Denray said:

 On 4-20 I trip on our deck and slam my ribs into a metal chair. Too much fun.

 

4-20, eh? 

Perhaps there was something in the air? 

[Denray]

Used to be big rallys on that day around here, but now that it's legal, nothing. 

A lot less cash in the community. Many stores have folded up. Lots of out of state folks came in and paid big bucks for grow property and now not much money in it.

Lost logging to the tree huggers. Lost the dunes for atv's from the plant huggers. Lost wackie to the large growers. 

I'm 80% over the rib deal, but that last 20 sometimes takes a long time.  Going to UCSF Monday to see a highly regarded orthopedic doc regarding my wife's knee/ACL situation. Meantime her leg is turning into a noddle on her.

 

[Jim Katen]

Sorry to hear it. 

Those orthopedic guys do some amazing things. 

[Jim Baird]

Quote

Buncha whining old farts. . .

•  

...for somebody who is so broken up physically you sure seem to be active, Denny.

I went with wife and daughter to Dingle Peninsula of Ireland last Sept where we logged walks of a dozen miles each while tour company schlepped baggage.

Spectacular scenery plus great ales and whiskys at days end made each day worth it.

Everyone I ever knew who went to the orthopedist resulted in him getting out his knife.  

As I have posted here before there are lots of easy, no-sweat regimens for seniors like us, including tai chi, xi gong, and yoga that keep muscles and connectors working.  I turn 70 this year and am ready to file a formal complaint with the Federal Time Commission.  My beef?  It ain't right!

[Marc]

8 hours ago, Jim Baird said:

...for somebody who is so broken up physically you sure seem to be active, Denny.

I went with wife and daughter to Dingle Peninsula of Ireland last Sept where we logged walks of a dozen miles each while tour company schlepped baggage.

Spectacular scenery plus great ales and whiskys at days end made each day worth it.

Everyone I ever knew who went to the orthopedist resulted in him getting out his knife.  

As I have posted here before there are lots of easy, no-sweat regimens for seniors like us, including tai chi, xi gong, and yoga that keep muscles and connectors working.  I turn 70 this year and am ready to file a formal complaint with the Federal Time Commission.  My beef?  It ain't right!

Yeah, we're getting to that age when we find ourselves talking to complete strangers about bowel movements.  Now lets see if them moderators are still working.

[Denray]

8 hours ago, Marc said:

so broken up physically

Tweaked ribs isn't that bad a deal, sort of. ha! 

I'm back to where I can do that 2 lap deal on the 700 vert hike. Got my fastest time the other day. Ride our indoor bike for an hour. Lower rib on right side still pissed. Can't sleep on my sides. Can take deep breaths, but a sneeze deal is still exciting. Rowed my raft with 2 passengers last weekend. No biggie compared to my wife.