Who's a Member of the Arthritis Club

chaplain tom you are describing me almost to a "T" I don't know if you had the operation but I had an operation for T-9 T-10 back in 96. If you aren't aware of how it's done they chop out a rip collapse a lung and go in from the front. I also have trouble walking and standing. One of the things that helps me keep my spirits up is coming to places like this to talk about guns. If I can't shoot the next best thing is talking about shooting. It not a way to help me shoot but it does keep my spirits up.

As far as dealing with problems with walking or standing My personal experience is that when there are days when it is too painful to move or get out of bed it is best to force yourself to get your butt out of bed because the longer you lay down the more you stiffen up. Try to get up and force yourself to move.

Any when I do feel well enough to shoot just the act of concentrating on hitting the target helps take my mind off the pain.

To me it isn't about shooting a perfect score, the main thing is to do it
 
Top of both hands since a motorcycle accident twenty years ago.

My lower back since a keg lifting accident twenty five years ago.

Forearms since about a year ago-heavy lifting at work.

I never thought I'd get old enough for everything to fall apart AND for my eyes to go hinkey.

And,yes,it has affected what I shoot and how I shoot it.

I sold my HSC 380 Mauser because of the pounding on my right hand.

Sucker just got to where it hurt to shoot.

I am actually getting a little concerned about my ability to hold a gun under repeated fire because of some of the shooting pains through the tops of my hands and around the sides of my hands at times.

Really strange though,they just come and go and weaken my grip now at times.

Just really strange.
 
I have Arthritis in my hands and shoulders. It has affected my shooting. I have found I have to shoot guns with less sharp recoil. I can still stand some recoil from the low pressure, larger calibers, but not the high pressure ones.
 
My Doct. advised me to keep on Ibuprofen, 800mg twice a day, but not more than 2400mg total per day.
My .458, .375HH, .350 Mag days are gone, but not forgotten, tore up rt. shoulder last year, end result, 25% of rt. bicept gone, 2" of rt. collar bone gone,3 Titatium screws and staples to put me back together, I can lift my arm up to 70 degrees almost 90, I'am Rt. handed and it has been a chalgen. I wonce was Independant, now I'am Depndant on others, thats the hardest one to swallow, that is why I u/p a 1911 last mo. its less recoil on me and a show stoper, Chaplin Tom, I feel your pain, as with all others, be safe all.:)
 
For my hands and forearms, I use Captains of Crush Grip Trainers. For my entire arm and shoulder, I use NSD Powerball. To help with a bulging cervical disc, I use LifeLineUSA Power Pushup, Chest Expander, and TNT Cable systems. At 62, I have better muscle tone and less pain than at 40. I went from 4x4 Ibuprofen daily to 2x2. I still have trouble with more than 10 rounds at the bench with my 7mm Rem, but that's why I got the 260! I can fish all day and my Mag pistols don't bother me any more.
 
Tramadol for me

It let's me move my neck,,severe neck arthritis,,can't get down on a stock,,tall rings and risers
 
Right wrist, the fingers of both hands, and right shoulder. Still relatively mild.

Over the last 15 or so years I've concentrated on developing lighter loads for my handguns and using my .22s more than previously.

My centerfire rifle use has been limited to just enough to keep my deer rifle zeroed and to make sure I can still hit heart.lung sized targets. About 20 rounds at a time.

I could still shoot full power rounds and occasionally do. But I have one friend that can't shoot anything except .22 and another that had a shoulder replacement directly attributed to shooting. I don't want to end up like those guys, that's why the recoil aversion.

I take aspirin an hour before shooting. Even with low power loads I reduced the amount of rapid fire I do.

I take my time between mags or cylinders. I try to stop or shift to a .22 before I feel discomfort.

So far this is working for me.
 
Gout, which is the most painful thing in the world. I really don't think any method of torture could surpass a full-blown gout attack. Allopurinol does a pretty good job of keeping it away but is unable to keep the Devil at bay every once in a while. Arthritis in my back. Broke my back in 7 places in 1997. Used to be 6' tall, now 5'10". They are going to cut me open in Feb. and hopefully fix all that. I am immune to tylenol, aspirin, advil, etc. so I just suffer through the always annoying and sometime debilitating pain.
 
Hands, specifically thumbs, right knee and hip and ankles. I have trouble with mag releases on the semis, but can do just fine on revolver cylinder releases. Good thing i already prefer revolvers.
 
L shoulder needs complete rebuild-problem--11 mo rehab. 1/2" of ball is gone and the 1/2" space. I have bone on bome w. ratchetting(grinding).

Had a shot of steroid about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Much improved. L knee is going but not as bad. Steroid didnt help much last June.
 
I've had Arthritis since I was Seventeen. I'm now seventy and six months. Rare is the day that I do not have pain in one knee or the other. one shoulder or the other. Back is fused solid. Had a hip replaced fourteen years ago. Top it off I fell on the ice Christmas morning and broke my right arm. Grams said if you hang long enough you'd get use to it. I have never gotten use to Arthritis pain. I just live with it!
 
I have osteoarthritis in both hands/wrists and lower spine. I had carpal metacarpal surgery to reconstruct both thumb joints (right hand in 2006, left hand in 2010) and carpal tunnel release surgery at the same time. Before the 1st surgery I was dropping objects, e.g., a hammer, held in my right hand and shooting any handgun other than a .22 was difficult. With therapy, stretching and strength exercises I regained about 90% of the strength (and perhaps 95-98% of the flexibility) in my right hand about a year after the surgery and was able shoot my S&W 629. I still have not recovered fully from the April 2010 surgery; my left hand/wrist is weak and sore 24/7 and my right hand/wrist is also going downhill. I need to return to a regular schedule of specific exercises for both left and right hands. I have used various types of hand/wrist supports with and without plastic or aluminum stays to shoot handguns the past four years. My biggest problem is working the slide of a short semiauto like my 4" barrel Kimber CDP II, Kahr P40 and Kahr P45, and Ruger LCP. The hand/wrist supports help with the shooting but are no substitute for the gripping strength needed to work the slide on these pistols. Fortunately, these problems have not materially affected shooting long guns.
 
arthritis

I have had it since early 80s.been through everything and now left with just a morphine sulfate. I stay in bed when it gets real bad and just try and grin and bear it.

Del
 
I'm near 40 and I have severe pain in both my knees ans did my mother and her fater, and lol, most of my cousins. I take a glucosamine supplement and when it gets really bad, I use aleve and tiger balm. I usually have to uses wraps or braces to get through a workout or my martial arts class...
 
Having over 20 years of experience in Ayurvedic medicine and Western Clinical Nutrition, I feel obligated to chime in here.

NSAIDs (Tylenol, Advil, etc) are some of the worst things to take for arthritis because they cause further deterioration of the joint and therefore lead to the need for stronger drugs to control the pain. They also do a number on your liver and kidneys. Tylenol overdose is the #1 cause of acute liver failure.

There are several natural approaches which are far safer and much more effective, as they actually correct the problem as opposed to merely masking the symptoms.

First, there are several systemic enzyme formulas that help reduce or eliminate inflammation. Vitalzyme and Wobenzyme are two of the most popular, and from my experience Vitalzyme is the more effective of the two. Wobenzyme has been extensively studied in Germany and has a well documented track record of effectiveness. The great thing about systemic enzymes is you can't overdose on them. Worst case scenario, you take way too many (say an entire bottle of 100+) and you end up with a headache or stomach ache or the runs due to the Herxheimer effect (just a cleanse effect from killing off bad bacteria and other toxins). Not a problem. I've taken over 100 in the course of 12 hours for an injury with no negative side effects.

Along with the systemic enzymes are several herbal combinations such as Botanical Treasures by Natura, which contains standardized turmeric (95% curcuminoids), holy basil, and a ton of other herbs specifically used to alleviate inflammation in the body (which leads to pain). Botanical Treasures is the one I find most effective. Another alternative one is Zyflammend, which is effective, though not as effective as Botanical Treasures. Both are also safe in very high doses.Curcumin is the active ingredient found in the spice turmeric and has been shown to have excellent anti-inflammatory effect. I recently had two wisdom teeth taken out at the same time, and I used Wobenzyme and some curcumin (I was unfortunately out of Wobenzyme at the time) and within a few hours there was no swelling and no pain at all. Didn't even need an aspirin or anything, there was literally no pain at all.

Those supplements are especially good for rheumatoid arthritis, which entails far more inflammation than osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is especially of concern to shooters as it targets the hands and wrists, as opposed to osteoarthritis, which affects the weight bearing joints (knees, hips, etc) and consists more of joint degeneration rather than inflammation.

For osteoarthritis, a good formula of glucosamine and chondroitin is essential, as this rebuilds the joints. It's been proven to actually rebuild joints and reduce pain rather than just masking it. I prefer a formula that includes MSM, which makes it more effective. Again, a very safe formula. Adding hyaluronic acid (in liquid form preferably...the best brand is Synthovial Seven) will really help, as your body uses that to rebuild the synovial cavity between the bones, increasing the cushioning effect. It absorbs thousands of times its weight in water, and your body uses it not only to build and lubricate the joints, but also to moisten the skin, the fluids in your eyes, etc. Again, a very safe product, it's damn near impossible to overdose on.

Dietary changes are also essential. We tend to eat far too many Omega 6 oils and fats (corn, soy, canola, and safflower oils and hydrogenated oils) and not enough good fats and Omega 3 oils (raw butter, lard, coconut oil, flax oil, fish or krill oil).

A high quality Omega 3 fish oil is a great help in working with either form of arthritis, and Nordic Naturals makes the highest quality (i take their Ultimate Omega formula). Oceans 3 by Garden of Life is also top-notch. You can't get your omega 3 fats from flax alone, you must use either fish or krill oil.

Avoiding processed and refined carbs (breads, pastas, etc) also helps. Soda/pop drinks are the bane of everyone, as they contain phosphoric acid (which acidifies the body and weakens bone, leading to worsening of arthritic breakdown of the joints), and high fructose corn syrup (which de-mineralizes the bone, decreases your good cholesterol, increases your bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and increases uric acid which causes inflammation throughout the body). Also, the carbonation in sodas forms carbonic acid in the stomach, which further decays bone. In order to neutralize a single 8oz can of Pepsi or Coke, you'd need to ingest 32 equal sized cans of pH neutral water!

Anything with fructose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or agave nectar (which is 70%-90% fructose) should be avoided because it de-mineralizes bones, while increasing your bad cholesterol and uric acid levels.

I guess that's enough to digest in one post, no pun intended. ;) If anyone has questions on any of this, or other health issues, please feel free to post here or email be privately. I figure I can use my particular knowledge to give something back, since I'm learning so much from others here at this forum. :)
 
Rheumatoid arthritis is especially of concern to shooters as it targets the hands and wrists, as opposed to osteoarthritis, which affects the weight bearing joints (knees, hips, etc) and consists more of joint degeneration rather than inflammation.
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Only if you're lucky enough that your RA is confined to one area. But that's a little like winning the lotto. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune disease where you own immune system is destroying the joints, and is therefore generally systemic, affecting all joints, especially weight bearing ones. And the destructive process is far faster than with Osteoarthritis. Most of the RA patients I know have their hips and knees replaced before anything else.
 
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