Pea-n-Me
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2004
- Messages
- 41,973
Hi Neighbor, I haven’t seen you around for a while! Sorry to hear you’re having this problem.
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice already. May I ask why you hesitate for a cortisone shot and/or for surgery? I can understand the surgery but the shot is relatively easy in comparison and can help quite a bit, they’ve helped my DH he’s had many in his back and most recently in his rotator cuff (loaded w arthritis so bad they can’t even do surgery), and I have also had one in my rotator cuff after a fall and it helped a lot. I would encourage you to try it. I’d also encourage you to get into PT again soon so they can help strengthen specific muscles around your knee and advise you in other ways, which you can then keep going over the course of the rest of the year in anticipation of your trip. Like a forced prep. I’d also be careful about supplements and personally, stick with glucosamine chondroiton (which has had years of research and is well accepted in the medical community) from a well known supplier.
Now here’s my thought for if you don’t want a scooter, and I doubt a cane would work very well. Have you considered a rollator walker that has a seat? The reason I think this type of walker would help is because it gives you something solid to lean on and moves fluidly and easily with you, which I’m guessing could help with pain (along with all the other things mentioned like strengthening beforehand and supportive shoes, maybe an injection and a sleeve, etc.). It also holds your stuff so you’re not bogged down with that, either, which adds weight, and you can just concentrate on walking. If it gets to be too much, you can sit comfortably for a bit in your own chair. Maybe try it out at home first. Like this:
https://firstclassmobility.com/products/comodita-tipo-classic-rolling-walker
Another option, if you have someone who can push you, is a transport chair. We used one for my mother on two trips when she was 92 and 93yo and it worked beautifully for us. We could take it everywhere, even on the plane, around the resorts, on rides, etc. If you don’t need it all the time you can throw your stuff in the seat and use it as a type of walker, which, again, might help with pain. Find one that’s sturdy, lightweight, and folds up easily. I kept it in the trunk of my car for years with her and it was a lifesaver. (She would not use a scooter and would’ve been unsafe with it anyway.)
https://www.rehabmart.com/product/l...XHlke0cG80aoM-dTxAlyMZ3x3KdY-1tkArBHGL2zoEBYk
Good luck, I hope you can find some combination that works for you.
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice already. May I ask why you hesitate for a cortisone shot and/or for surgery? I can understand the surgery but the shot is relatively easy in comparison and can help quite a bit, they’ve helped my DH he’s had many in his back and most recently in his rotator cuff (loaded w arthritis so bad they can’t even do surgery), and I have also had one in my rotator cuff after a fall and it helped a lot. I would encourage you to try it. I’d also encourage you to get into PT again soon so they can help strengthen specific muscles around your knee and advise you in other ways, which you can then keep going over the course of the rest of the year in anticipation of your trip. Like a forced prep. I’d also be careful about supplements and personally, stick with glucosamine chondroiton (which has had years of research and is well accepted in the medical community) from a well known supplier.
Now here’s my thought for if you don’t want a scooter, and I doubt a cane would work very well. Have you considered a rollator walker that has a seat? The reason I think this type of walker would help is because it gives you something solid to lean on and moves fluidly and easily with you, which I’m guessing could help with pain (along with all the other things mentioned like strengthening beforehand and supportive shoes, maybe an injection and a sleeve, etc.). It also holds your stuff so you’re not bogged down with that, either, which adds weight, and you can just concentrate on walking. If it gets to be too much, you can sit comfortably for a bit in your own chair. Maybe try it out at home first. Like this:
https://firstclassmobility.com/products/comodita-tipo-classic-rolling-walker
Another option, if you have someone who can push you, is a transport chair. We used one for my mother on two trips when she was 92 and 93yo and it worked beautifully for us. We could take it everywhere, even on the plane, around the resorts, on rides, etc. If you don’t need it all the time you can throw your stuff in the seat and use it as a type of walker, which, again, might help with pain. Find one that’s sturdy, lightweight, and folds up easily. I kept it in the trunk of my car for years with her and it was a lifesaver. (She would not use a scooter and would’ve been unsafe with it anyway.)
https://www.rehabmart.com/product/l...XHlke0cG80aoM-dTxAlyMZ3x3KdY-1tkArBHGL2zoEBYk
Good luck, I hope you can find some combination that works for you.
