Anyone else have joint problems? Small joints, fingers and toes. It makes my hands hurt when I think of how many 'knuckle' push ups I did as a student!

I have been training for a long time, and to make matters worse, I turned 50 this year!

I've had my share of fighting-related injuries, both from the street and from training, and the thing that bothers me the most are some of my finger and toe joints. The worst is my right big toe, broken at my 5th gup testing (lo these MANY years ago), which aches almost non-stop.

Other joints don't bend like they're supposed to, partially because they've been forced to bend like they're NOT supposed to (thank you, my former Aiki-jutsu instructor!). The second worst is my middle finger knuckles on both hands. I can flex them and so on, but they hurt when I go the slightest bit beyond a 'normal' range of motion.

It's so bad that if I landed a punch with either hand, the fight would be over (for me - I'd be hopping around cradling my hand and whimpering like a kicked puppy). I've had to train myself to deliver palm or other open-hand strikes instead of punches, but it still isn't ingrained in me to do so, and I really LIKE punching things!

As further proof that I am older than dirt, here I am talking about my medical issues! Aggh!

Say Hi to you here quicksabre, there's a forum glitch which means I can't read or reply to your intro post.
So Hi, I'm the resident Ass!

There's a related thread, called 'War Wounds' here you might like;
http://www.martialedge.net/forum/martial-arts-training-and-fitness/war-wounds/

Ever had a medic check you out for Arthrittis?

Hi mule, I mean, arse!

yeah I have an appointment for my annual physical exam next week - I plan to ask about arthritis, but the last doctor I saw mentioned "osteo-arthritis" as if there is nothing much that can be done about it. I have been taking an over-the-counter supplement, glucosamine/condroitin (sp?). It doesn't seem to have an effect one way or the other...

I browsed through the 'war wounds' topic - didn't bother listing any, I've had quite a few but nothing I consider 'major'.

Accupuncture & Qigong.

Glucosamine and chondroitin plus fish oil (omega 3). I almost had to quit training due to bad joints in my back (I was mis-diagnosed with osteo arthritis in it when I was 13 ).Through a mixture of massage ,glucosamine/chondroitin and omega 3s it has improved a huge amount.

I have had major problems with both my thumbs and my big toe's. I knackered my thumbs after helping a friend out about 10 years ago. I spent two days painting his grandads house (gripping the roller/brush tightly in one or t'other hand), went training, sparred and POP, both my thumbs went.
They have been a source of much annoyance ever since. I was told by a surgeon that it was osteoarthritis, and they where as worn out as a 80 year olds.
Since I've been back training in the last couple of years, I've caught them a couple of times and they've calmed down after a few days, until recently, I caught one in a tournament (I can't even remember it happening). It swelled up big time, so I went to the GP who sent me to hospital and I had a cortisone in it. It's now not far from being fine again.
I have started to strengthen my hands by gripping a tennis ball and squeezing it, which really does seem to be toughening my hands and thumbs up. A surgeon once told me that most osteoarthritis complaints can be helped drastically by building the muscles up around the affected area, no matter how acute the area.
My advice is buy yourself a tennis ball and a tub of glucosamine sulphate, hopefully this will help.

Thanks, all, yeah I got the same word from the doctor. Osteo-arthrits, if it hurts to bend it that way, then don't bend it that way! Not very useful advice.

I've been taking the glucosamine/chondroitin and fish/flaxseed oils for over a year now, and not noticing much difference.

Occasionally the pain interferes with my training - I am learning to adapt but it takes a lot of the fun out of it. As long as I wear my Kenpo gloves during sparring, I can punch okay.

I have 2 sons, ages 12 and 7, and while sometimes the usual roughhousing causes me to wince, to them I am still invincible, so they are oblivious to it all! (They are very rough on their 'old man'. I am trying to make sure that their training doesn't result in problems like this when they are older...no knuckle push-ups, for one thing. And great care taken with joint-locking and grappling/ground-fighting instruction.

The acupuncture thing is an intriguing idea, I've never tried any 'alternative' medicine or treatments or anything like that.

QS,
thing is, the damage has been done now.
You probably have a genetic pre-disposition to OA.
I have too.
I've ben told I need a hip replacement, but I'm too young for the surgery, as the replacements only last so long.
If I'd been on the supplements you mention earlier on in life, then I might not be in the same condition, but we don't listen to our elders do we?

You have the opportunity to make sure your kids get the preventive methods that you didn't when you were younger which is great.

I'm not sure that I'd agree on knuckle pushups being a bad thing.
I've been doing them for years and still play piano and guitar with no impediment (other than lack of talent).