18 replies to this topic

[Mark K]

Any recommendations for vitamin/supplements for joint health that you like? I have had bad knees for years. Running is pretty much out. Was doing Rowing, with good success, but still sore knees. Now have moved (back) to some weight lifting - Specifically Stronglifts 5x5. Heavy on the squats. While I am easily handling over 200lb in the squats now, but I really require 3 increasingly heavy warmups, and not until the 3d set of heavy squats do my knees feel right.

Mostly, they feel like they are rusty the next two days. A little goan comes out getting up and down from a chair.

Have just started using Knee Skins, to support them, and that seems to help a little.

Just wondering if any of the joint supplements might help.


Mark K.

[Pensfan]

I have horrible knees from 25 years of hockey, seven knee surgeries, and the past 10 years of being overweight (since lost 100lbs). The thing that helped me the most is taking Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM supplements. I found a good price on one at CostCo, but they are readily available at other stores as well. I was skeptical at first, but after a couple months I started to tell a difference in the level of daily pain. Now after a year of taking them, my knees and shoulders feel 10 years younger literally.

As with any quasi-medical advice, talk to your Doc and see if it will work for you, affect allergies, etc etc.

[Graham Smith]

Talk to your Dr because a lot has to do with what's wrong.

I find that glucosamine helps me some, but it's not a cure all by any means. But it's not likely to be of any use to you because glucosamine has only been show to be of some assistance in osteoarthritis. I've not seen any study that shows chondroitin to be of any particular help. There are also some very expensive tonics and combinations of ingredients that are about a useful as sugar pills.

One big issue with glucosamine is dosage and compound. It's commonly found as glucosamine sulfate but can also be found as glucosamine hydrocholoride. It's debatable which is better, but you have to watch the sodium concentration.

Simple answer is that there is no simple answer.
.

[1911aow]

+1 on the supplements posted by Pensfan. They also work well for me.

With regards to training: I am an International level amateur bodybuilder and train hard and heavy 6 days a week. I have bad knee issues and have found that squats do more damage than anything else. Especially during the days after LEG DAY. After many years of experimenting I have found that medium weight and higher reps allows me to keep the legs growing and prevents further damage to the knees. Instead of regular squats, I do a reverse Hack squat (hack squat done facing the machine).

I have also found that the stop/start of shooting hurts my knees more than the gym work. I have started to wear neoprene knee guards while shooting. It keeps the knees warm and flexible, and for me at least, reÐuce the next day pain considerably.

[DVC1911]

The concoction that I use to help my joints is:

Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM and vitamin c (time release)

The vitamin c is important, I found that it made the others work better.

Good luck.

Mark

[chipdouglas]

I'd have to agree with 1911 awo. Are u sure your not doing more harm then good with all those squats at high weights? Perhaps his routine is good advice. I'd recommend running it by someone with more initials after their name thou I'm no doctor.

I myself an an electrician always on my knees and I find gloucousimine sulfate with msm helps greatly for consistent knee pain. But you have to take it all the time missing doeses just lowers the effects. Cheers and hope you feel better

Keep shooting!!!

[renzo808]

You might wanna try some fish oil too.

[Andreas]

I can only share my experiences. I'm 40 but high mileage thanks to years of backcountry adventures and a trip to the ER that had me rolling out in a wheelchair (broke my kneecap and several other things). I can't recommend glucosamine chondroitin enough, but it takes ~3 weeks to kick in. My knees gave me a lot of pain back in my early thirties, particularly when walking down hills or stairs. I started on GC based on a friend's advice. At first, nothing. Then one day I got up and noticed that I was walking around like a normal person. It's been like that ever since.

I've recently started taking fish oil and find that it helps as a general anti-inflammatory. It kicked in fairly quick. I think that diet also plays a big role. My wife has to eat gluten and dairy free, so we're awfully close to strict paleo at home. Early on, I'd revert to a traditional American diet while on travel for work and quickly regret consuming all those grains and sugar. These days, I'm no longer even tempted.

I'm ~174 lb. and squat in the high 200s for reps but have to work up to it. Four warm-up sets with interspersed stretches will get me ready for my first work set, but it isn't until my second one of those before my knees are feeling solid. Can't say that my knees give me trouble the next day.

I like unpadded shoes with a wide toe box for heavy lifts, as I felt that the padding in running shoes caused my feet to roll around and cause trouble. Chucks are one option, but there are plenty of others.

[kosh79]

You might wanna try some fish oil too.

Fish oil works wonders

[outerlimits]

Fish oil, red meat, expensive wine and craft beer. Oh yea, and Hoppes

[monicataliani]

My wife has to eat gluten and dairy free, so we're awfully close to strict paleo at home.

I used to experience joint and muscle pain and came to find out it was a gluten intolerance. It is amazing how much better I feel overall now that I am gluten free.

[Aglifter]

Yoga has done wonders for my knees - squats were the only thing that used to help them.

Not saying that the other stuff won't help, but confirmation problems should also be addressed.

Never squat in a "squishy" shoe. Chucks work great - most power lifters and strongmen I knew, mostly, wore those for workouts, or actual squat or press shoes.

The "barefoot" shoes also work.

[WrxGuy90]

+1 for fish oil and the barefoot shoes.

The barefoot shoes (once your body has gotten used to them) works a lot of tendons and ligaments.

I also did the 5x5 stronglift for a year plus. I never wore any protective gear. Since getting into strongman, I got a pair of rehband knee sleeves and have noticed I'm not so sore after squats in the knees. Kind of pricey at about $30-40 each depending on where you shop but worth it in my eyes. I wish I got them sooner. Good luck

[gennaro]

+2 on the squats, not necessary.
My knees are not great either. Please don't do heavy squats anymore, you do not have anything to prove to anyone. I switched to just doing leg presses and leg extensions only ! 2 or 3 warm-up sets, than 4 to 6 work sets each, and my reps are 18 to 20 a set with a rest period of 60 seconds in between each set. Trust me, sometimes it can be more difficult doing the high rep sets, than the very heavy weight of 2 to 4 rep sets, and the chances of getting injured are greatly reduced when doing lighter weight. Consider trying it for a few weeks and see how you feel. You can always go back and do what you were doing before . Goodluck.

Best Regards
Gennaro

[markcic]

I would get this book and this foam roller. My trainer started me using one because I had a really tight IT band which was causing alignment problems which caused more tightness and pain. Working out all of the deep knots in my legs hurt when I started but eased my knee pain.

[zero]

Depending on your body and blood type diet could be a contributing factor. I've had symptoms of mild arthritis for years in my hands and wrists, in addition to a back injury that made me shrink an inch and a bad knee. Some things that have worked for me though, I started taking bilberry for my eyes, and noticed after taking it for a couple months that my joints hardly hurt anymore.

In addition to that, as mentioned above, I started using the paleo diet as a guide since it's essentially close to the recommended diet for my blood type(O), and since i've been eating less carbs and more protein, and especially since switching to organic foods from the hormone and steroid laden meats, I hardly have any joint aches and the little aches and pains are almost all gone.

But of course, all bodies are different, and what works for me might be the opposite of what someone else needs. Just have to try different stuff and see what works

[johnhhuber]

Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM supplements work great but I have also had a lot of luck with Sam-E. You can find it in drug stores and it helped both my knees and my wife's.

[lynn jones]

Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM supplements work great but I have also had a lot of luck with Sam-E. You can find it in drug stores and it helped both my knees and my wife's.

+1

[Eyefly]

I recommend omega 3 for all my patients. I don't do joints for a living. I am an eye guy. But omega 3 is good for pretty much everything. Along with being an antioxidant, it is good for the skin, heart, cholesterol, joints, etc. Pretty much good for everything from the rooter to the tooter. I also recommend somewhere form 3000-4000 mg/day. It's inexpensive and you can get it anywhere. The brand does not matter much. Although I like the Mega Red. Check with your primary care MD first.

Edited by Eyefly, 08 May 2013 - 03:21 AM.