I've been progressively getting stiffer in my joints over the last few years, and am wondering if this is normal and if not what it could be due to?
I'm a mere spring chicken at 45 ;) and have always felt that one didn't really get stiff until - well, one was more mature .

It's not painful as such, but sometimes I feel slightly achey eg in bed at night my hip aches a tiny bit, and if I kneel for more thana few moments,
my knee joints feel very stiff and I have to walk carefully for a few yards. If I carry heavy shopping, my elbow joints don't like it for more than a few steps and stiffen up. I suppose I noticed it most the other day when my sister came down
and we all went out for a meal, of course we sat for a few hours and on rising I felt stiff and had to stand up carefully and just be aware of my
joints for a few moments, then it was fine.

I guess i just wondered really it if was normal or if anyone has any thoughts about why I feel stiff? :)

Lindsay
xx

Welcome to my world! :D

Yea, I reckon 45 is about right :) 

yep...snap !
cod liver oil ..evening primrose oil everyday plus a lovely hot soak in the bath :)

Lindsay, I don't know how to tell you this...BUT...I've just had me knee replaced, 13th March, and in 2005 when I was 45, I had both my hips replaced! Welcome to Athurs world(athur Itic!) love Dawn X

Oh goodness, so it's probably just normal ageing, wear and tear type of thing?
I must admit, I'm  actually quite stunned.

Thanks everybody - I think! :P
So it's a case of basically now taking care, supplements, that sort of thing?

Dawn, I'm sorry to hear you'd had hips and knees replaced, hope you are OK?

Lindsay
x

I find it weird that some people years older than me seem less stiff!!!

Lindsay
x

I am nearly ...... I am not yet able to admit it :rolleyes: I still feel in my mind 20 and having a great time

Don't worry too much, I'm 44 & walk like a old lady  when I get up from the settee & feel it in my knees when I go up the stairs. My Mum is nearly 82 & doesn't have these probs! Mum has been taking cod liver oil capsules every day for 30years....they must work!

They are just hiding it, Lindsay :)  Keep your weight down (I think that is the biggest factor) and keep up your mobility and there is every chance that bit of stiffness will not get any worse for years and years yet.

Ahh yes I forgot about the hormone influence! I went through the menopause in my late twenties and was told that was the reason for the early arthritis! Which is probably right!

I'm getting there thanks! I've had Arthritis since my late 20's so you just have to get on with it! If I were you I would take Glucosamine and Chondroitin and Cod Liver Oil and Evening Primrose Oil to protect your joints Hun, Love Dawn X

I do sympathise Lindsay - I was lucky I didn't get anything until I was over 50.   It can be hormone related too so I have read.  It came along with the hot flushes for me.  I was getting up in the morning and not being able to walk properly to the bathroom I was so stiff.  I did the HRT thing for a few years and it helped (needed it for the bones too)  Now the aches and pains come and go.  Doesn't mean to say that you have arthritis yet.  I have had all the blood tests and have been told that I haven't got it - but being coeliac it is not unknown to have joint pains.  I just really appreciate the times when I have no stiffness and pain.  I go to yoga and walk.  I just hope it is a passing phase for you.  Good luck.

Thanks everybody for the advice - I have read a bit about hormonal influence but I'd better do some Googling and find out more! I'm on WeightWatchers too - being tall the extra pounds hide too easily but I find WWs very good and am losing steadily!

I've just started taking a joint supplement today, I was surprised at how large the capsule was!!! Fish oil, glucosamine and chondroiton (Sp.).

Ceejay, I was kind of hoping I'd not get anything until at least 50 :D I envy you!!
I don't recall my mother or father being stiff and my sister says there's only a bit in her knee - she's 5 years older than me!!

Lindsay
x

Yes, I get esp stiff knee joints, and I'm only 30!!! (we do have funny knees in my family though, I have 'wibbly kneecaps' to use a technical term ;) ). I think it's been said already, but apparently glucosamine & chondroitin, cod liver oil, devil's claw and green lipped mussel are all meant to be good things for joints. And swimming, because it's non weight bearing but keeps the muscles strong. HTH :)

Thanks :)

Lindsay
x

Hi,
I think a lot of these bad stiff joints in women are associated with hormones!
As I didin't have a problem, a little ace or pain but! nothink major, untill i had a
Hysterctomy, and ovaries removed. I am at present taking HRT but they!are nothing like your
own hormones. Aces in knees, back, wrists.
If men had to suffer as women do there would be a cure by now.
Regards
Denese

Hi Lindsay
Just been reading this and I wondered if you do any exercise?  

I don't think it's normal to be feeling stiff at 45.

I'm older then you, and I workout around 4 times a week, and if miss a couple of sessions, then I feel a bit stiff and lethargic.  I've chosen a routine that suits me and I think different exercsie routines suit different people so it is worth finding something you enjoy and isn't too much of an effort to do and that way you will stick to it!  I think exercise is one of the key things that keep us healthy!

And if you are feeling that it could be hormonal - evening primrose oil in quite high doses should help, great for younger and older ladies for all manner of hormone related problems.

I notice people have mentioned cod liver oil and glucosamine etc which is great and I also think a good diet is essential to keep us looking and feeling good :)

Also might be worth a visit to your GP to have a general check up!

Maria :)

 

I'm in my late 50s and apart from a few niggles in my neck and shoulders (caused, I'm sure, by too long on the pc :-) ) I don't really suffer with joint stiffness or pain.
I'm not one for taking any supplements so I've always thought, like Maria, that my good health is due to exercise and a balanced diet :)  But I do think that genes play a part as well :)

>I don't think it's normal to be feeling stiff at 45.

  Knackers yard for me then? :-D  I have a sacroiliac joint injury that gives me gip, sometimes in the mornings; I can hardly get out of bed.  I get tired and achy and when it gets late at night, I'm so tired, I get brain fog, I can't think.  Also had anaemia but Doc thought it was heavy periods that caused it.  He thought stress was causing the tiredness. And I've got low bone density which I blame being on Depo for 5 years.  OH keeps telling me go back to Docs but I feel like I'm wasting their time. :rolleyes: I'm 39  

44 and creaky! I keep thinking what I'm going to be like in another 40 years! Bad knees, have to stretch my feet in the morning, neck that cracks - the list just goes on LOL

I would advise that you go and have a blood test, three years ago one June Morning I just could'nt move out of bed because of painful joints, did'nt have any previous symtoms went to the Doctors he sent me for a blood test and found that I had rhumatoid arthitis, not nice at all. Now I'm on medication and blood tests every two weeks, also developed anemia as not enough red blood cells being produced. Before this I never had a days illness now I'm so tired and achey all the time.

I'm due to go to the doctor sometime so will mention this to her. I'm not really in pain as such, it's more kind of achey, you know? :)

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, I hope the medication improves things.

Maria, hi, thanks for your thoughts re exercise :) I do exercise (mainly dog walking!) but I do also spend much more time now on the computer and far less doing chores, gardening and probably a lot of things that did help to keep me more supple...food for thought.

Thanks everyone again for your views and opinions :)

Lindsay
x

Hi Lindsay
I don't count walking the dog or doing the chores as exercise - I know dog walking is great but I'm not sure the chores help!!

It's easy for me as I work from home, so either before I start in the office or during lunchtime I do a work out - I put on a dvd and go for it! I think it's really important to find something you enjoy that way you have more chance of sticking to it!  Honestly it works I can really recommend it :) :)

Its the niggly pains that wont go away that can wear you down...

Ive got this pain in my shoulder... went to see the doc.. then had appointment at the Rhematologgy clinic... went this a.m... ended up having a steroid injection.... Thought i was going to pass out with the pain...

I dont advise this route....

Hope it improves

Donna x
(and charliex)

Lindsay...I have to disagree with many on this board and tell you that it is NOT normal to ache in all your joints, and Im sad that so many people think it is. I am a physiotherapist of twenty years experience so I do feel I can be emphatic about this.
I am 43 years old, and i go to the gym 4 times a week. I walked up snowdon in 2 hours, can swim 3 miles, etc etc. My gym is full of over 40s, over 50s, over 60s etc.  At work I meet dozens of elderly patients who have no stiffness and are perfectly mobile.

The type of arthritis that comes on with "wear and tear" is called osteoarthrosis and it most certainly is not normal to get it in your early or mid forties. this kind of arthritis occurs mostly in weight bearing joints like hips and knees, but should not occur in people of your age unless they are significantly obese...I dont know if you fall into that category and Im not going to ask you! It is extremely rare to get wear and tear arthritis in your elbows, which woulld indicate to me that it is not OA at all.
There are many rehumatology conditions that lead to inflammation of joints that could be causing your problem. Also there aer one or two muscular conditions that can do it. these all require treatment to avoid long term problems.
I would strongly recommend being examined by a doctor or a rheumatologist

Cathy

Cathy thanks for your advice and for taking the trouble to post :)

I'm definitely not significantly obese, I am overweight by a few stone (doesn't show too much as I am tall! :D )
I'm on Weight Watchers and have lost 9 and a half pounds so far so am watching the weight...

Thinking about it, I've had the shoulder ache for about 4 years, first noticed it when throwing a kong for my dog and found if i didn't throw it,
my joint was much better. The knees followed and over the last year I've noticed the other joints getting stiff and that I'm losing flexibility.

I will definitely go to the doctor as I have a few minor things to speak to her about anyway...do you think doctors tend to take this kind
of thing seriously? what if she tells me to not worry and it's just getting older?

Lindsay
x

I'm sure your doctor will take this seriously.  If she tells you you are just getting older then change your gp :rolleyes:

I think it's worth getting checked out and and asking your GP about exercise.

It's quite common when people get an ache or a pain somewhere not to move it, but in my experience that is the worse thing - much better to keep mobile :)

And as Cathy says, it is not normal to be getting aches and pains in your 40's !

Well there's a thing :)  I am definately not obese with a body mass index of about 22 but I have spent my life walking dogs for hours, something I have always understood was exercise ;) and with no family history of arthritis or joint problems have always assumed it was this wear and tear that caused me to be rather less comfortable in the lotus that I was in my twenties or thirties.  I hope I do not have to start attending a gym and sitting on a machine :o think I would prefer to sieze up all together :)
I do agree though that Lindsay does seem to be of a different pattern.

I always thought dog walking was exercise too :P but I understand what you are saying, Marie :)

Well, I'll see what the doctor says, thanks again everyone

Lindsay
xx