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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    Joint Suppliments?

    Standing in the market in front of the vitamin/suppliment isle, I realized there are a bazillion bottles of pills that claim to do a bazillion different things. I'm curious about the ones that claim to help rebuild the tissues in your joints. Do they really work, and if so, what do you guys reccomend? I am mostly concerned with my knees... I just have the usual pain after running/skiing etc. mainly because I think I am getting old . It's not a sharp pain or anything, just feel like I've been running barefoot on concrete all day (sore). Any suggestions?
    "Have fun, get a flyrod, and give the worm dunkers the finger when you start double hauling." ~Lumpy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    As of yet there is really no hard evidence that joint supplements work. And what I mean by hard evidence is a study that shows that the tissue is regenerated not just the subjective say so of people that take them. Since subjective evidence is just that, subjective, there could as well be some plecebo effect to taking a pill that is supposed to work. BUT.... there is some anecdotal evidence that says they might work. The ortho pedic doc that i work with has the opinion that they might work and some of his patients that have taken them have felt results, weather that is plecebo or not, who is to say. At the very least they probably won't hury you and might help. if you are willing to try something that may or may not work and probably won't hurt you than go ahead and try them. At the very least you'll end up with very expensive urine as that is where the stuff goes if it is not used by the body. Which is the other thing about joint supplements, $$$$$$.

    As for reccomending supplements to try, the main ones are chondroitin, MSM and glucosamine. But i'd be willing to bet the general dull knee pain you are feeling is mre likely a biomechanical issue that could be addressed with some stretching, strengthening and or proper foot alignment or which the effects are generally better and last longer than taking supplements.
    fighting gravity on a daily basis

    WhiteRoom Skis
    Handcrafted in Northern Vermont
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    So maybe I should just stretch more and put that $$$ into better shoes instead? Also, I haven't been to the gym in a while and I am going to start going again.

    Thanks
    "Have fun, get a flyrod, and give the worm dunkers the finger when you start double hauling." ~Lumpy

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    stretch the hams, quads, glutes calves, most important in this group is the hamstrings. tight hams are a very common cause of anterior knee pain.

    strengthen, quads, glutes, hams

    proper shoe fit is also a good place to start.
    fighting gravity on a daily basis

    WhiteRoom Skis
    Handcrafted in Northern Vermont
    www.whiteroomcustomskis.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Hanging out with Yodie and Grison
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    1,000
    Vinman is right. PT is way more important than supplements. I take chondroitin and glucosamine, but I've also had long term knee problems. I don't know if the stuff works, but I'll take the whatever slim chance of the stuff actually working. PT, on the other hand, will show tangible benefits.

    If the pain really bothers you, I would recommend going to a PT to devise a workout routine. Doing some random streching isn't going to do shit. You need to have a better idea of what the problem is. The body is amazingly complex. Consequently, fixing it is not trivial.
    A lot of people earn their turns. Some just get bigger checks.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    SF, CA
    Posts
    634
    I take Glocosamine/Condrioten also. Like others said, there is no proof that it works, but about 50% of the people "feel" better. It could all be the placebo effect, no one really knows.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    YetiMan
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    13,370
    when I think of "joint supplements" I think of PCP...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    188
    A side effect of Glucosamine, bad breath.

    Try plyometrics they will help strengthen your legs which in turn help the knees.
    I bet it will even knock time off your mile.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    plyos are probably not the best choice from someone who already has knee pain. Most (read not all) plyos are high intensity/high impact exercises and should only be done after comleting an initial streght training program. ie. they are not something you just do at the start of a training cycle. The muscles must be conditioned first to prevent injury.

    Plyos are most effective for people needing explosive strength and a typical plyo program will last 6wks or more.
    fighting gravity on a daily basis

    WhiteRoom Skis
    Handcrafted in Northern Vermont
    www.whiteroomcustomskis.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    188
    Thank you Vinman I stand corrected.

    In my case I was lifting and running and I was experiencing inside knee
    pain. A friend of mine who had ACL surgery turned me on to Plyo's.
    I feel it helped me out tremendously. Plus it knocked some serious
    time of my 10K.

    Good luck 72twenty

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