Comment by Benjamin_Dobell | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Benjamin_Dobell | Hacker News Reader

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Benjamin_Dobell

I'm also 27. When I was about 11 my left knee collapsed and I was diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter syndrome - the "syndrome" part of the name makes it sound a genetic, I don't believe it strictly is - it's just when the tendon tears off your patella. Anyway, recovered from that with physio.

Later, teenage years, I was also diagnosed with flat feet, needed orthotics. I don't wear them now, I probably should though as my ankles do get sore. This also lead to back problems that I went to the physio for when I was 19.

When I was 17 I tore the ligament in my left ankle playing Rugby. That one hurt for ages whenever I ran or walked until last year where I tripped over in a car park and ended up on crutches because I'd torn it again. Think I might have torn it clear off, because it no longer burns when I run or walk. So that's a win!

I recently started playing basketball again and broke my Scaphoid (left wrist) only 4 games in. It's nearly finished healing... I hope.

I don't know how serious your arthritis is, but if it's manageable then you're almost certainly better off exercising than not - your body will only deteriorate more if you don't.

That's not to say I exercise anywhere near as much as I should (just walking the dogs at the moment), however, at least personally I don't use injuries as an excuse not to exercise, if I don't it's purely because I'm being lazy.

On the plus side, since I started to put on a bit of a gut my back pain has decreased because I've improved my posture by almost always tensing my core to suck in my belly ;)

New year's resolution, more exercise!

> the "syndrome" part of the name makes it sound a genetic

That's one meaning of "syndrome", but it also shows up in the names of diseases that were discovered and characterized as unusual clusters of symptoms well before anyone knew what the underlying cause or disease process was (the most well-known example probably being AIDS).

Thanks for the shaming brah

It's so unfortunate that so many people don't understand when young people are, effectively, disabled.

A friend's parents stopped talking to him and shamed him because he applied for a handicap parking permit (doctor recommended). He can't walk much more than 100 feet without agonizing pain. He's 28. The father's words were something like "how will you feel when you are taking away that parking spot from an elderly person who really needs it?"

I hope it gets better.

I feel like an ass now- I'm nowhere near as bad as your friend yet- it certainly hasn't hit my hips or back yet, my autonomy isn't affected, I don't need painkillers.

For what it's worth, pass on my support to him- if only for selfish reasons; I see myself becoming like him in the near future.

NB: This may not apply to you, but here's my experience.

I was about 225 lbs and had experienced (mild) arthritis in my knees, starting in my late-20s. Around age 32 I resolved to finally get in shape, the arthritis was, at this point, mild-to-moderate, still in the knees (now in the hands). Losing the weight and regular exercise (in my case running, which I'd been doing as part of soccer on the field, but not for distance until this point) greatly improved my arthritis symptoms. The evenings after a run, my knees felt fantastic. Weeks where I skipped, the symptoms returned (no worse than before, just back to "normal").

Once the weight was lost, however, the symptoms almost completely went away. This is very much a YMMV situation, but it's something to consider.

Exercising the full range-of-motion of the joint + weight loss can help a lot, even if it is just delaying the inevitable. I'll happily accept 5-20 years of improved mobility even if I end up immobilized by this like a good chunk of my ancestors.

The exercise needn't be running. Cycling, elliptical, and rowing machines are low-impact cardio and let you exercise your knees range-of-motion pretty effectively. Bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges and similar, done regularly, will also improve the muscles around the knee, which can help.

Again, for some forms of arthritis this won't help or won't help as much, but for others (like me) it can be a life changer. The path I was on, I'd be unable to run or play soccer at this point (80% confidence in that statement, would've sought medical treatment by this point if I'd stayed on that path).

Don't. Everyone's different and everyone has different struggles. It's unfair to say "well I have problems too but I've never let them stop me." Everyone has different tolerances. Just enjoy what you have and make the most of it.

people in general don't think young disabled people are any less disabled. when they see a young person limping around nobody thinks "what a fake". wtf? where did you get this idea?

your friend's dad is just ashamed, and that's his way of lashing out. he's a mental midget.

and besides, when has anyone seen every disabled parking space taken up? places like hospitals have a huge amount of disabled spots so this barely ever happens.

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