Old Guys Backpacking

At age 60 every sports injury I've ever had, including ones I didn't know about or forgotten about, are coming back to haunt me. This includes ankles, knees and spine. No signs of inflammatory arthritis, but lots of wear and tear, worn down cartilage, bone spurs, neurological problems, etc.

Getting old can sometimes stink!

But I try to run every day, and do martial arts many times a week. Just have to adapt.

Worst fear is worsening of a nerve problem (due to back injury) causing pain/numbness in my leg…sometimes this makes walking/hiking difficult, at least I have to sit down quite often to relieve the pressure.

Also, healing goes much more slowly, even for minor injuries.

Larry, you should have no problems running, for about 19 more years. Seriously, running would seem to be incompatible with sciatica. I have sciatica and I have had to soften my WALKING from being a stomper to a tip toer, to reduce impact on the disk and spine. I walk like I have a tack in my moccasin. Carefully. If you think its a risk to worsening your sciatica, I would try cycling, walking, walking uphill, things like that. For me, walking and recumbent cycling work well, and I can still backpack.

I never said anything about OA. I lumped together all cartilage or soft tissue issues of ankles, knees, hips, and spine. When your back is healthy you think nothing of lifting boxes, kids, firewood and cars. After you hurt your back, there is no going back. You have back issues for life. Seems like the risk is not worth it when there are other ways to be fit.

Someone said that when you get old, every insult you have given your body in the form of overuse, broken bones, misuse, will come back to haunt you. I believe it.

My goodness, and I thought I was suffering.
Even Reiter's at its onset in my youth was nothing like the sciatica can be now.

So on a hopefully constructive note, here is a list of remedies (gout not included):
1. Osteo-Biflex (highly recommended by Nimblewill)
2. Nabumetone (Relafen)in moderation – Much easier on the stomach than other NSAIDS, but probably equally dangerous to the kidneys if taken daily for long periods.
3. Nature's Bounty SAM-E. This one may be more dangerous, especially the other brands, and was denounced by a Russian pharma biologist I met staying in Twin Lakes, CO. But taken occasionally for a week to ten days actually works on the knees. Stop if liver enzymes elevate.
4. CVS Reparagen. This one is totally unproven, but has shown some signs of effectiveness in preserving knee cartilage.
5. Cobroxin. Available on-line. Supposedly highly diluted Cobra venom. The ultimate and possibly most dangerous remedy. But as John McCaine says, when the pain gets awful enough, you'll do anything to make it stop. Works for me when the sciatica gets really awful, and it will be weeks before I can get a steroid shot in the back.
6. Excercises prescribed by a PT. The flexing and stretching ones seem to help more than the muscle-building ones. Rowing machines are good, because the weight is off the lower body joints. After 8 years, I stopped my daily half-hour regimen four months ago and greatly increased the hiking, while maintaining the daily two-mile walk up and down a 600' vertical hill with the dogs. The jury's still out. The Merck Manual, of all things, has some excellent ones for various maladies, including sciatica and OA. I've experimented with many and have constantly revised the routine to see what seems most effective.
7. Booze reduced to between zero and none. No opiates other than for surgery/tests. Smoking anything is out of the question. Would drink MJ tea occasionally were it legal.
8. As close to a zero fat diet as possible, with emphasis on veggies, fish and poultry, in that order. Zero burgers, steaks and the like.
9. A pack suspension that gets very close to all the weight off the back and onto the pelvic crest. No lumbar pads or other pressure on the lower spine.
10. Exertion only in moderation. Life is short. Enjoy what's left.

This is all mostly trial and error, of course; but I know it has helped immeasurably.
Note the warnings – I disclaim all responsibility for anything.

Why as close to a zero fat diet as possible?

K – Congestive heart disease started it, but I've felt better physically ever since.

what are these remedies for? All for sciatica?

Nature's Bounty SAM-E. This one may be more dangerous, especially the other brands, and was denounced by a Russian pharma biologist I met staying in Twin Lakes, CO. But taken occasionally for a week to ten days actually works on the knees. Stop if liver enzymes elevate.

This one is interesting to me. My pup takes SAM-e daily, 400 mg, and has for over a year now (as well as a host of other meds/supplements).

Also interesting is the diet – I thought fish was fatty, just not saturated fats (or is that the issue, the saturated fats in red meat?).

B – For pain, associated with sciatica and OA (joint degeneration), and the effects of back injury, noted in the most recent posts, to which I was responding. My own injury was a burst fracture of the L-2 vertebrae, with nerve damage that obviously effects the feet, and possibly further up. But my ex says that it was agent orange that affected the brain.

For purists, my approach to drugs may be disdainful. But it works for me without opiates or lots of NSAIDS, so I'm sharing it, with the warnings of course. I forgot to mention Tylenol, also in moderation only. Since my short and undistinguished time in the CIC, I've never considered myself pure in any sense of the word, so purism has never been an issue.

D – It is great that your pup is still up and about. I've had several like that.

When a talk show host recently asked Bill Clinton if he just ate salmon and all that stuff, Bill responded that he wouldn't touch fish, just lots of green plant life.
If you can't hack that, I think fish beats land animals hands down in terms of nutrition. That seems to be the consensus amongst the pros, but OK, nothing is certain. We should be considerate of even old guys running all day up and down mountains gnawing on fatty haunches.

"If you can't hack that, I think fish beats land animals hands down in terms of nutrition. "

No argument here, I agree. I did the Paleo thing for a bit (posted about my grand experiment somewhere on here), and even though I lost weight, my cholesterol shot through the roof. I was really surprised about that. I've decided to jog over to the other end of the extreme – vegan. I'll be interested to see what my numbers are in a few months when I return to the doc for a check.

"It should happen in about 50-60 years from now. You will know when it happens because your joints will get very stiff."

Right along with the rest of you by then. ;0)

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease caused by genetic, local mechanical stresses and systemic factors, and other unknown factors that leads to articular cartilage loss, boney overgrowth and other bone changes, and potential alterations in the ligaments, menisci, and muscles. Symptoms are stiffness, aching, tenderness and swelling, possibly approaching that order of progression, in my opinion.

=========================

Non-modifiable risk factors
Age: The risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age.
Gender: Most types of arthritis are more common in women.
Genetic: Specific genes are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis.

Modifiable risk factors
Overweight and Obesity: Excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Joint Injuries: Damage to a joint can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint.
Infection: Many microbial agents can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of arthritis.
Occupation: Certain occupations involving repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Above modified from http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/risk_factors.htm

Check out page 9 of http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/docs/oaagenda.pdf

These are just my opinions. You don't have to agree.

Recommended physical activity for a given BMI should take into account joint load bearing (running).

1. Calculate your BMI at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html

2. Check out aerobic exercises about 1/3 down page at http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/pa_overview.htm

3. For the overweight/obese person, if your BMI is 25-29 (overweight), running exercise is okay but natural surfaces and appropriately cushioned shoes are recommended. If your BMI is 30 or above (obese), you should choose non-running exercises until your weight is down.

Other factors play a role like previous joint injury, etc.

He died in his sleep on a Sunday morning in the same farmhouse he was raised in. He did not die in a nursing home or from terminal desease,His heart just stopped in his sleep.He outlived every one of his generation in his family.

He defied about every longevity predictor you can name.

He was average height,portly (probably had a BMI of about 30 his whole adult life).
The man ATE LIKE A HORSE and ate a LOT of meat. He was active on the farm which included lifting LOTs of 100lb feedsacks and square hay bales that would herniate most men posting here.

He was never married, he smoked and drank moderately.I cannot even IMAGINE the man jogging or even hiking. He moved to work,not to recreate.

About the only thing he did that was a supposed life extending practice was he always had a farmdog named "Jack" around the place. I think he outlived a dozen dogs while I knew him. Everyone was named jack.

He was not Jim Fixx.. All you runners out there-I wish you all the best.And hope you outlive my Uncle..

Who never jogged…

;)

"I've decided to jog over to the other end of the extreme – vegan. I'll be interested to see what my numbers are in a few months when I return to the doc for a check."

It that doesn't work out for you, for whatever reason, maybe consider adding fatty fish to your vegan fare, or try a Mediterranean Diet? Either way, including some fatty fish in your diet would confer a major health benefit.

.

Jimmer,

Hee, hee, maybe that "…never married." part was the key to your uncle living into his 90s. ;o)

I always used to bring that up with my mother and sister in law..Really made 'em mad..

He was quite a guy. Watching that man plow through an entire bushel of Blue Crabs in a Maryland seafood joint was always impressive to me and my other cousins..

" some fatty fish "

My physician demands that I eat cold-water salmon once per week. It's either that or else fish oil supplements. That boosts my good cholesterol and has no effect on my bad cholesterol.

–B.G.–

"Either way, including some fatty fish in your diet would confer a major health benefit."

I do take an algae oil supplement daily.

I am going to take my dad (66) out on a trip this summer for 4-5 days. We did a little hiking back in cub/boy scouts, but I don't think he's been on a trail since then.

I'm a very minimal hiker (<6lb base), so most luxury items are honestly just off my radar. I want him to have a good time and I'm fully aware that how I hike and the gear I choose isn't for everyone.
What sort of things should I be considerate of when preparing his gear that may not occur to me?

Partly depends on how fit he is to start with but some good general advice is to keep his pack light (you are young and can shoulder some of the load if his gear is not UL or if he's not particularly fit). An important thing to remember is that us old guys get sore and recover slowly! A heavy pack will wear on his legs much more than it will on yours.

I still hike with my sons every year and I can keep up with them no problem but I'm the only one that feels sore the next day (and although I carry my own gear, my pack is much lighter than their packs). So start slowly and see how he does and pick a pace and distance that allows for a short first day or two. If he feels good the next day then bump up the mileage/pace accordingly.

Very rare for older guys to be able to sleep well on thin foam pads. Young guys can't understand this but accept it as a fact and make sure he has a nice thick air pad.

Remember, it won't be fun for him if you turn it into a death march.

Your dad ought to be able to go for a distance as long as you don't push him for speed. Sometimes as we lose our speed, we preserve our endurance. Just don't let anybody blow a gasket.

–B.G.–

> I am going to take my dad (66) out on a trip this summer for 4-5 days.
Light pack (watch out for those 'what-ifs')
GOOD air mat!
Nice food, maybe cocoa and/or coffee
Shortish distance at moderate speed
Large water bottles
Big hat
Light WIDE shoes w thick socks

Cheers