Osteo-arthritis diagnosis

[Hobbes]

I've finally been diagnosed with OA in my left knee, after several years of "oh its just my age". The Doctor has given me exercises to do to strengthen the knee, told me to take OTC painkillers and lose weight (there's the old joke in there that my right side is just as heavy as my left side but that knee doesn't ache!!) and pretty much said "And learn to live with it"!
My issue is that as the holiday goes on my knee will become more painful-for the first few days I will be trotting merrily along and by around Day 7 I will be whining that my knee hurts and I don't want to do anything. The walking is less of an issue than the standing still in lines-does the DAS cover this? Like other people I would feel guilty that I have no visible injury or disability but the thought of standing in line for even 30 minutes shuffling forwards every few minutes fills me with dread! We are doing a split stay and will have UE for the Universal part of the stay. I know in previous years (prior to my diagnosis) by the second week of the holiday I didn't want to stand to watch parades or fireworks as it was too uncomfortable. I don't feel I will be bad enough for a mobility scooter-although we have even discussed that-but not sure what the answer is. I also am panicking a bit about quickly I can get out of boats/ride vehicles especially on the moving platforms. We just did DLP and my husband had to practically haul me out of the Storybook boats as there was nothing to grab hold of to help myself up!

 

[Pooh2]

I have neuropathy in my feet and legs as well as the OA and spine disease.
By the end of the second day, I was ready to go home.
We ended up renting a chair for rest of the trip and using the second half of each day.
A wonderful husband is key to getting in and out of low seats!

 

[Hoodie]

Renting a chair or scooter may be a good idea. Especially since Disney has few places to sit anymore.

 

[bluecruiser]

I have arthritis in both knees and using an ECV has been a lifesaver for me. Without it I would have stopped going to Disney long ago, the pain was getting so bad. I've been doing exercises that I got from PT, which has helped some, but not enough. The doctor says I have knee replacement(s) in my future, but I'm not there yet.

Think of an ECV as a tool to help you do Disney. It's also a help to your family since you will be able to keep up with them and won't have to worry about slowing them down, or making them end their day early because you're done for the day.

Hopefully @mamabunny will be along to add her thoughts, she has some excellent points about using an ECV.

 

[Debbie Jean]

DAS will not be given for mobility issues. You will be told to get an assistive device, e.g. scooter, wheelchair, etc. Whether that is your preference is not the issue. That is how Disney handles mobility problems.

Not only will this help with the 6+ miles per day of walking you will do at Disney, it will give you somewhere to sit while you are in line since most are mainstreamed.

 

[gap2368]

I've finally been diagnosed with OA in my left knee, after several years of "oh its just my age". The Doctor has given me exercises to do to strengthen the knee, told me to take OTC painkillers and lose weight (there's the old joke in there that my right side is just as heavy as my left side but that knee doesn't ache!!) and pretty much said "And learn to live with it"!
My issue is that as the holiday goes on my knee will become more painful-for the first few days I will be trotting merrily along and by around Day 7 I will be whining that my knee hurts and I don't want to do anything. The walking is less of an issue than the standing still in lines-does the DAS cover this? Like other people I would feel guilty that I have no visible injury or disability but the thought of standing in line for even 30 minutes shuffling forwards every few minutes fills me with dread! We are doing a split stay and will have UE for the Universal part of the stay. I know in previous years (prior to my diagnosis) by the second week of the holiday I didn't want to stand to watch parades or fireworks as it was too uncomfortable. I don't feel I will be bad enough for a mobility scooter-although we have even discussed that-but not sure what the answer is. I also am panicking a bit about quickly I can get out of boats/ride vehicles especially on the moving platforms. We just did DLP and my husband had to practically haul me out of the Storybook boats as there was nothing to grab hold of to help myself up!

The DAS will do nothing for you I would look into a wheelchair you can push and then sit when you needed to. As fair as the moving walk ways let the CM know that you might need the stoped or slowdown ( all but the people move and Peter Pan can be ). The CM are normally very good about giving you some extra time. I would rent a wheelchair off site so you have it all the time ( if using Disney bus this will give you a place to sit when waiting. )

 

[Bjkandma]

Please just rent an ecv from an outside vendor, so you have it with you at all times. When you feel like walking you can either park it or let someone in your party (must be over 18 to use a scooter at Disney) use it. While a wheelchair would work, asking someone to push me, I personally feel I loose more of my independence. This the Only way that I still am able to enjoy the parks.

You will be walking 8-12 miles per day. There is no way that one a with OA (at least for me) can with stand that. Disney has removed most of their benches, to help eliminate blocking walkways, etc.

 

[EpcotQueen]

I‘ve a knee replacement in the right and now have a torn meniscus in the left. There’s lots of OA I there too. After 10 minutes on my feet I’m almost in tears. A 10 on the pain scale. While in WDW in December used an ECV. Pain at a 1 or 2. Do yourself a favor and others you are traveling with and rent an ECV. Best Disney decision I made!

 

[Mrsjvb]

No. DAS won’t Cover mobility or stamina needs. Get an ECV or wheelchair.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with the other posters. An ECV, wheelchair or rollator (walker with wheels) is going to be much more helpful then DAS.
Many of the queues are a long distance - even in Fastpass; 1/4 to 1/2 mile in the queue is not unusual. The only queue with seating is the new Rise of the Resistance ride. So, for the most part, unless you are using a mobility device, there is no place to sit.
My (late) FIL fought getting an ECV for years; he limited his time in the park and limited where he went. By late afternoon, he was back at the room icing his knees and taking pain killers. The first day he rented an ECV at Epcot, he spent longer in the park and saw more than he had seen in years. He stayed for the night show (Illuminations) and said it was the first time in years he had not been in a lot of pain in the afternoon.

 

[Selket]

I have arthritis in both knees and they both are very, very painful. One leg has now twisted so much I can only walk with my foot out and away - anyway its bad. I started renting an ECV a few years ago and it's a life saver. I go fairly often and for some trips my knees are "ok" - I can park the ECV and walk around more. I've had a few trips where my knees were so bad I even took it into shops because walking at all was very painful. The ECV (or a rollator - you could do that as well) can go in most lines fairly close to where you get on the ride. I try to "save" my knees and walking for shorter lines when I have a FP and cannot take the ECV (like Buzz Lightyear - I park it and walk through usually). I can usually do Haunted Mansion as well with a FP. The length of the que and whether there are slopes (I cannot hardly walk downhill) and steps matters for my situation. I was much like the situation Sue describes with her late FIL that by evening I was hurting too much to enjoy anything and it was hard to sleep because of the pain.

Just remember you can always rent an ECV and use it when you need to and park it when you want to walk. If your knees feel great then park it and walk! Maximize your use of fast passes for lines where you need to transfer to a wheelchair/cannot take the ECV (Pirates, HM, Buzz for me for example - and I can usually pick up passes for them after I use my first 3 on harder to get attractions like Mine Train using the "refresh" method of obtaining fourth and subsequent fast passes). I often travel with someone who gets a DAS - but I'm not riding every ride with them.

As for Universal - I found them VERY unfriendly to ECV users. If you have their version of the fast pass there then you should be in better shape for lines but an ECV could help with distances. There are portable rental ECV's you could break down and take with you since you're switching from US/IOA to WDW so that could be an option.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

For each attraction with a moving walkway to load and unload, a CM is watching every guest and has a device in their hand that can immediately slow or stop the belt. If one notices you struggling and needing extra time, they will slow it down with plenty of time for you to safely get in or out. They do this all the time and goes mostly unnoticed by guests. They are there watching out for your safety and won't let you trip and fall and roll off the walkway!

Like others have said, the People Mover and Peter Pan don't generally offer those accommodations but the PM has a relatively long loading time and you could always ride with just one other person instead of 3 or 4 to give you extra time to load if you find yourself struggling to make the cut-off. I'd suggest trying to do Peter Pan at the beginning of the trip or beginning of the day when you are physically at your best.

If a CM does end up needing to slow a walkway down for you, the next time you ride you can always let the CM know right before you get onto the moving walkway that you will possibly need it slowed (or just say you need extra time to load) and they will take care of you. Upon exiting a ride, a CM will always slow it down if you are struggling to exit your vehicle in time.

If you think you will struggle to get out of a ride vehicle, you could always have your husband or other strong member of your group be positioned to exit just before you to give you a hand.

Regularly doing strengthening exercises like the ones prescribed to you can help a lot with transferring into and out of ride vehicles and make a trip much more pleasant. If you want to keep going to WDW for another few decades, I'd even suggest looking into water aerobics or doing a strength-training routine in the weight room (doctor approved of course) or find something else that works for you. I've had to gain a lot of upper body strength to make up for what I've lost in my lower body and without the extra exercises there is no way I'd be able to last at WDW for more than a day or even do many of the attractions.

 

[dawnball]

I have significant OA and loose cartilage in my left knee, so I feel your pain. It took me a long time to come up with a treatment plan that worked. I'd encourage you to work with your doctor or a physical therapist until you're really happy with your treatment plan. Everyone else has covered the DAS pretty well, but I since I'm in a pretty similar place (my daily life needs minimal accommodations but Disney just wears on it) thought I'd share part of my Disney(Land) routine that might help.

Things that have helped:

• knee braces. I just buy them OTC, it gives me more fit choices than my doctor can. I bought wrap-around (sometimes called clamshell) ones that I can put on after security. I wear them before I hurt because they extend my stamina.
• Avoid cramped rides. My knee is happiest if it never goes past 90 degrees. I still ride things like It's a small world and pirates, but I space them out with rides that let me extend my knee more.
• Ice. I carry empty quart ziplocks. All the places that do fountain drinks are happy to fill one with ice. I ice in the morning (maybe on the bus at WDW), then at every meal break.
• Heat. 5 minutes of heat before I get out of bed and 15 minutes at bedtime helps relax and warm the muscles. I wake up in less pain the next morning. Depending on trip length I'll bring either a heating pad/microwavable gel pack or the chemical heaters.
• I do my PT exercises on vacation, particularly the glute activation ones. When my glutes start getting lazy, I've been known to do them in the parks.
• Medication. Talk to your doctor about the best options for you. I take medication on vacation before I have pain, then have a breakthrough option. (In my case, it's all OTC. I take prescription-strength aleve with tylenol for breakthrough.)
• Wheelchair. I currently use a stroller as a wheelchair every day because I have a 2 year old and you can't push a stroller from a wheelchair. Otherwise I'd use a cane for the first few uncomfortable days, then switch to pushing a wheelchair. The advantage of a wheelchair is that you always have a place to sit and that self-propelling a wheelchair with your hands or scooting along with your feet uses different muscles than walking. I usually ask for an ultralight wheelchair from offsite - they usually have better bearings, making them easier to push. Every pound counts, so I don't carry a bag or a bottle of water. It goes on the stroller/in the wheelchair.
• Ask attraction CMs about avoiding stairs or steep ramps. The procedure is different everywhere. Don't be surprised if you get a wheelchair return time. Downhills are harder for me than uphills, but stairs just kill my knee. I also carry a tiny led light for illuminating the floor in dark queues.
• Increase assistance before you need it. When I start getting tired and slowing down, I increase my "help." That might be sending someone else to grab the napkins I forgot, taking a tylenol that I don't think I "really need", or just focusing on my gait. On really bad days, I've prepared myself to need to rent a scooter. Currently my toddler has less endurance than I do, so I haven't needed one.

I hope you have a great time!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

As others have said, an ECV or wheelchair is the way to go. Something other mentioned that I would suggest is using a ECV to get around form place to place and parking it to walk around a land or go on rides with shorter lines. This is my plan for our upcoming trip. I know I won't make it full days walking on my own, and pushing a wheelchair sends my back into spasms pretty quickly so I plan to rent an offsite ECV and use it as needed. I am much better in the mornings and tend to hurt more in the afternoons so I plan on getting to whatever land we are doing a rope drop, parking and seeing how I do.
As for loading and unloading, let the CM's know what you need. My experience has been very good with getting them to slow walkways, give me extra time ect. Last trip I was using a cane and had very limited mobility. I had them slow the walkway on both HM and Little Mermaid without a problem. I didn't do anything with a large step because I was scared of my injured knee giving out on me, but I cannot imagine them not giving you extra time to navigate.