Terrible joints.

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I am 10-14.(not saying my age.) My joints are really bad, and hurt . I have dislocated my right knee once and my left twice . I have leg and back pain often, and I walk with a limp. How can I strengthen and protect my joints?

1st. Go see a doctor. Period.
2nd.: Swimming. Running is nothing for you, at least not if you cannot find soft ground to run on (soil, tartan or such). Swimming allows your muscles to develop equally around your joints, and the stress you put on them is almost zero.

If you're an early teen, and having those knee problems, there is a common problem that knees can have (particularly with some Hispanic boys, but also can be seen in any ethnicity and also in girls, I think, if I recall what I read correctly). There is a minor surgery to fix it, and it's something you need to ask a doctor to verify.

If you just have bad joints in general, you might not be making enough synovial fluid (the heavy liquid that your body naturally makes to lubricate joints). Taking glucosamine supplements (or even getting Acetyl-D glucosamine injections) might help a lot. I get those.

Charles

I'll second that glucosamine supplements can help. I recently had a shoulder surgery to fix a torn labrum (the cartilage that forms the shoulder socket) and I have pretty much made healthy living my main interest. I've done lots of research on joint health and arthritis, diet, exercise, supplements... my doctor said that I would probably develop arthritis down the road due to the injury/surgery. So I'm out to prove him wrong.

One thing that gets overlooked is that the body is an interconnected system. When something goes wrong it will affect everything else. Your joints may be the only thing that is hurting but that pain is likely a symptom of a greater systemic inflammation. Inflammation starts in the gut and manifests itself in all sorts of horrible ways. What you eat is incredibly important.

Excuse the graphic description of the following personal experience:
After I had my surgery I got very sick and could not stop pooping. It was all liquid, like a faucet, for over a month. I came to find out that I was gluten intolerant, the surgery stressed my immune system and brought out the previously dormant symptoms (btw over 80% of your immune system is in your gut). I had already given up dairy earlier that year because it became apparent that it was causing trouble too. Once I also removed the gluten from my diet I started feeling so much BETTER! I became less hyperactive, fell asleep faster, slept better, and had much better ability to focus and be more productive. Also, my mood stabilized and I haven't had any more issues with depression, which was a huge struggle for me most of my life. I've also eliminated yeast and any food or drink that will feed or promote the growth of candida yeast. A lot of people with autism suffer from systemic candida overgrowth. Just do a search and you can see there is a link between candida and joint pain, arthritis, fatigue, depression, autoimmune disorders...the list goes on. I'm happier healthier now and while I do occasionally miss certain foods, I'd rather not eat them because I know they will make me sick. It is worth the effort because BEING HEALTHY FEELS SO GOOD.

Ok ok, how does this relate to joint pain? Simple. When the body/mind is stressed by anything inflammation occurs. Normally in a healthy body inflammation is a good thing, for instance, it helps fight off infections. Unfortunately sometimes inflammation can get out of control and do more harm than good. Inflammation causes your body to acidify and break down certain tissues... cartilage is especially susceptible to this breakdown as are your connective tissues.

SO, my first advice to you is to do some reading and see a gastrointerologist who is experienced in dealing with autism spectrum patients. Most GP doctors won't have a clue about this stuff as western medicine tends to only focus on alleviating symptoms instead of finding and treating the cause(s). Well meaning but oblivious doctors may recommend NSAIDS to help with the pain but they will only make your condition worse. NSAIDS like asprin and ibuprofen break down the lining of your intestines and cause leaky gut syndrome- increasing inflammation and breaking down tissues faster. Arthritis is not caused by a lack of pain pills.

Second, eat what is good for you and drink only water. Lots of water will help flush your system of toxins and will assist healing your tissues. Replace grains with greens. Don't eat meat or eggs that are conventionally produced with tons of antibiotics, try to stick to organic grass fed animal protein. Remember if you are eating meat, you are also eating everything that animal ate. Antibiotics kill off the beneficial bacteria in your gut and thus help candida grow out of control. Yes organic meat is more expensive but you should eat less of it, eat mostly veggies.

Third, exercise. Weight training is a great way to strengthen joints. Make sure you work everything evenly. Every muscle has an antagonist that should also be strengthened (ie. biceps and triceps, hams and quads), you want to find and eliminate any muscular imbalances. Muscular imbalances will further stress your joints. Strengthening smaller muscle groups deeper inside the joints with those big stretchy bands and physical therapy exercises will help stabilize your body and improve balance and coordination. Once you have been weight training for a while and have built up the muscles and connective tissue around your joints, more joint-stressing activities like running can be eased into your workout routine.

After all three of the above comes the supplements. It is important to note that these are the least important part of your healing program. Hence the name SUPPLEMENT. Simply popping pills will not improve your long-term health by any measurable degree unless you also address diet and exercise. There is no easy way. You have to give up damaging foods and be open to trying new healthier options. Be patient and keep a diary of what you eat and how it makes you feel. Every body is different. That said, here are the supplements that I've found very helpful:

Glucosamine sulfate is a structural component of cartilage and also helps to increase the synovial fluid in joints--- NOT glucosamine HCL (hydrochloride). The HCL variety is much less effective. Also, don't buy combo supplements that contain chondroitin. Chondroitin causes prostate issues in older men and research has shown no significant benefits. (This info came from my surgeon, a Harvard grad cartilage restoration specialist) In my research, it is also helpful in eliminating candida overgrowth.

MSM aka methylsulfonylmethane-- This is great stuff. An organic, naturally occurring and bio-available sulfur supplement that is essential part of cartilage. You get some of this naturally through your diet too. It helps heal muscle strains and drastically reduces post-workout soreness. Some yoga instructors claim it aids in gaining flexibility. My personal experience has confirmed these benefits. MSM is also helpful in eliminating candida overgrowth.

High Quality fish oil, preferably 3rd party tested for purity. Known as a potent anti-inflammatory. Avoid the cheap "made in china" brands, it makes me shudder to think of all the heavy metals, PCBs, and other toxins those could contain. If in doubt just don't take them.

Hyaluronic acid- jury is still out on this one when it comes to joints but it is great for skin, hair and fingernails. HA is a natural polymer that makes up your synovial joint fluid. The molecule binds to water to form a jelly like lubricant for your joints. Doctors can inject a form of HA directly into joints. There is a small town in japan where the inhabitants eat a diet rich in HA and there are no incidences of arthritis.

With all of these supplements, you need to drink LOTS of water for them to be most effective.


Good luck and hang in there!

I've heard that there is an association between ASD's and "hypotonia" (loose muscles, basically), and also "hypermobility."

there are also studies linking ASD to ligamentous laxity, which means your ligaments are longer than usual which can result in dislocations and joint injuries.

so yeah. pretty much: see a doctor, swim, eat veggies and drink water. i second the glucosamine/chondroitin/fish oil cocktail!