Nurse's with bad knees????

Nurses General Nursing

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I am noticing a trend where I work, including myself, of increasing severe pain in my knees. My right knee actually grinds when I walk down the steps and the pain is starting to get out of control. Acetaminophen helps reduce the swelling but the grinding and cracking continues. Do many of you have this problem? I walk on tiled floors all day, with most shifts lasting at least nine hours. I have spoken to several other nurses and CNA's where I work and they also say they are having knee problems. Is this a trend in nursing? I have found that wearing ACE knee supports do help some and have started on an herbal combo that several folks have sworn by, not sure what good it will do but I am a firm believer in herbs so I'm trying it before it gets any worse. Just wondering what you all think and if it's a generalized problem in nursing???

Specializes in CV-ICU.

Duckie, I think that it is all part of the wear and taer on the nurses' body. I've had both medial meniscuses (sp?) repaired, and use glucosamine condriton. I work with many nurses who have had knee problems. I wear an ace wrap on my one knee when it's bad; the other thing that has made a big difference (for me this week!) is I just got new shoes with different arch supports. My knee (and feet and hip) didn't hurt so much these past 2 nights! (Dang, it's hard to get old! Sorry I'm whining!). I really hope that this is all that my pain needed was new shoes!

Specializes in medical/telemetry/IR.

I had that problem for a long time. I fell and hurt my knee. then overcompensated and made the other knee hurt. I could barelywalk up the stairs. Went to my dr. several times. He kept saying to take Glucosamine. After about a year and half I finally did try it. Took about 3 weeks and the pain went away. The Glucosamine helps rebuild the joint cartilage that tends to wear away quicker in women. I can't remember to take pills and don't take it anymorer and still don't have any pain. Talk to your doctor about it. I was taking between 1500to 1000 mg/day. You get it at the drug store over the counter. Its fairly expensive. But man did it help me

Originally posted by frann

I had that problem for a long time. I fell and hurt my knee. then overcompensated and made the other knee hurt. I could barelywalk up the stairs. Went to my dr. several times. He kept saying to take Glucosamine. After about a year and half I finally did try it. Took about 3 weeks and the pain went away. The Glucosamine helps rebuild the joint cartilage that tends to wear away quicker in women. I can't remember to take pills and don't take it anymorer and still don't have any pain. Talk to your doctor about it. I was taking between 1500to 1000 mg/day. You get it at the drug store over the counter. Its fairly expensive. But man did it help me

That's what I am taking!!! Actually I'm taking Osteobiflex, it has another herb in with it. I had several people swear to me it helped them, one of which was my Dad, who loves to golf and bowl, but couldn't for awhile because of knee problems. He started taking it and within 3 weeks, he was doing both again. It costs about $28.00 a bottle of 150 but you only take 2 a day for 2 months then start taking 1 a day. I think it's well worth the expense. I already take 35 herbs and vitamins a day so a couple more is no great difficulty. Dad says it cheapest at Sam's Club, if anyone is interested. I am a firm believer in herbal therapy. I even have my doctor convinced with everything they have done for me. I wish the government would put more research into herbs but then again, the drug companies wouldn't like that!!!!

Jenny P,

I've found that my hips do not hurt after I buy the new shoes with a good arch support. I've even tried the Dr Scholl's arch inserts which also helps not only the hips, but the back also. When your feet hurt, everything hurts! I agree, it IS hard getting older and whatever works for you, go for it. Now if I could just get this stupid bunion out of my way, I'll feel like a million bucks!

Specializes in CV-ICU.

I work with a podiatrist who became a nurse and he gave me some advice about my shoes and said my arch supports (the cusom made ones from my HMO podiatrst) needed a bit of help after a year! So he told me to place some 1/4" felt heel pads under them inside my shoes; and it works! :eek: And I believe in the glucosamine chondritin also.

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