Joint health and maintenance

[Guest CalvinP]

Applying tremendous stress on the hand would put the little joints at risk. There is a supplement for joint health called GLUCOSAMINE (SULFATE). If helps people like movie star James Coburns with his arthritis, which's played havoc in the joints of his hand. Until he took the supplement he was unable to work for a long time.

A personal friend of mine took it too, and after a long time it has eased his back pain a lot, to the point he feels normal again.

For me, I thought it has helped me to recuperate better. Since I put a lot of pressure directly on the joints, doing the kind of push up I do. My fingers are small boned, but so far I have no problem. Any how! even 3 days after exercise, if I feel a bit tendered on the hand and joint. I might still work out but it will be a light session or an alternate one. I am happy to say my progress is better than I have expected.

[Guest 115-1005574997]

In the last 6 or 7 years doctors have found that by using 1500 to 2000mg of glucosamine a day, it supplies the body with the building blocks needed to repear cartilage, synovial fluid and soft tissue.  When combined with 400mg of ibroprofen, its a stock treatment to ease the pain of chronic arthritis in many hospitals.  Glucosamine can be used as a preventative and a cure.

Shark cartilage and Collogen Supplementation has more contentious reserch with inconclusive findings.  It may help but there is no proof.

The final supplement which has shown to be very effective is MSM.  It stands for Methylsulfonylmethane and has been used for over 5 years to strengthen soft tissue and treat tendonitis in $million race horses.  The health benifits are now being seen in humans and reserch has proven its worth.

http://store.yahoo.com/healthymsm/whatismsm.html

[Fuel Crusher]

It's quite expensive though, glucosamine, especially with chondroitin which is supposed to work better. Still what price is good health?

Anyone know a cheap supplier in UK though

FC

[Guest kINGPIN]

Have a read around in some nutrition books and see if you can find it in 'real food'.  That is always the best way as with a lot of supplements they must be taken with other vitamins/minerals to aid absorbtion.  When you eat real food the other compounds found are usually the ones needed.

hope that made sense.  

[Guest DavidHW]

[disclaimer: nothing below should be construed as medical advice; consult a physician before trying any supplement; your results may vary; etc.]

I take Schiff's Move Free glucosamine/chondroitin supplement [http://www.schiffvitamins.com/productsearch_results.asp?p=73]. With it, I have no hand pain even if I work my grip 2-3 times a week. Without it, I'm reduced to one workout a week. I get the 180-count bottles at Costco for $24. Also, my knees and elbows don't hurt after a hard squat workout while I take the G/C supplement.

FWIW.

David

[Guest kINGPIN]

Just my opinion as I do not know your medical history.  But as a healthy adult your knees should not 'hurt' after squatting, if they are then you might want to have someone examine your form because its sounds like something is seriously wrong which over then long term, no supplement will sort out.  The only things that should hurt are your muscles and lungs.

[Guest Askalas]

If you are having knee problems while squatting and your form is good check to see if you have flat feet.  That happened to me and I got some shoe inserts to push up my arch and keep my feet from rolling inward, no more pain.  

I also take G/C and MSM which has helped my wrists and ankles.  kINGPIN, mentioned that sometimes suppelments need other minerals etc. to aid absorption, this is very true.  Some G/C and MSM supplements come with added minerals and vitimins.  For example, my MSM from "Spring Valley" has 60mg of calcium diphosphate added to it.  Just shop around and do your research to find a good product.

[Guest DavidHW]

Thanks for the concern, re: my squat form.

Actually, I wasn't specific enough. Sorry. I meant normal post-workout aches, not shooting, stabbing abnormal pain. OTOH, I do have very, very high arches in my feet (when I'm barefoot and walk through water like at a swimming pool, you can see my toeprints, my heelprints, and a narrow one-inch wide arch tie-in between them -- LOL -- which comes from wearing a size 14 AAA shoe) and tend to squat off my toes instead of the back of my foot. Not good, and I know it. Something I continually have to battle and yet another reason I prefer deadlifts to squats -- no thought required for DLs!

David