I am forty two yars old and have recently took up Thai boxing at a local club, however after my first lesson I started to feel pain in my right kneecap and went to the doctors. The doctor told me I was suffering with arthritis and prescribed me  ibuprofen  tablets to ease the pain. I did try Thai boxing years ago but suffered with planter fasciitis but thats not so bad now but this as flared up due to age I suppose. However because I am not getting any younger I still want to carry on and learn Thai boxing due to having an interest in the martial arts. Do any of  you older  guys train in  Thai boxing or any other martial art and suffer with arthritis, and what do you do to releive pain and avoid possible injury?? appreciate any info fellas.

Do Tai Chi instead, maybe do some yoga and swimming too, but you really should be careful doing something as intensive as Thai boxing, if you don't mind frequent bouts of swelling and taking ibuprofen then carry on, once you have arthritis there are things you can do to slow the progress or even regress it somewhat in the form lifestyle changes but dropping Thai boxing would be one of them as certain lifestyle choices will exacerbate the condition, i was gutted when i had to stop football for the same reason, but it was that or crippling myself in the long run.

Short answer is that impact sports on areas affected by arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis is going to exacerbate  your problem. So lower weight bearing joints, no running, kicking etc. Upper joints no boxing. The latest thoughts are that exercise with help arthritis but not extreme exercise on the joints affected. You would need to seek advice from a suitably qualified doctor as to what exercise would be best for you. 

Tai chi ?? Do that when your 80...  Stick to the Muay Thai...Im a little older than you- and still do it. I get aches and pains- possible arthritis coming on...I read up on it and if you take stuff to make your body not so acidic then it will help...I take  Bicarb of soda, Lemon or lime juice,  glucosamine & MSM. Does the trick !

Tai chi ?? Do that when your 80...  Stick to the Muay Thai...Im a little older than you- and still do it. I get aches and pains- possible arthritis coming on...I read up on it and if you take stuff to make your body not so acidic then it will help...I take  Bicarb of soda, Lemon or lime juice,  glucosamine & MSM. Does the trick !

Thanks for the info,  I had hard about lemon being good for weight loss, but did not know about its arthritis benefits. I have started taking cod liver oil tablets (extra strength) and will b eating a lot more fruit and fish. I was also thinking of taking up spinning class for a while, its low impact and may help my legs before going back to Thai boxing. For anyone that dos not know spinning class is were you're on a stationary bike for an hour, and a trainer shouts at you to peddle faster to the tune of thumping dance music.

Edited April 5, 201511 yr by wengweng

 

take  Bicarb of soda, Lemon or lime juice,  glucosamine & MSM. Does the trick !

I have lived with rheumatoid arthritis for over 20 years, i can tell you now, that glucosamine is overrated, studies show no significant benefits there are a tonne of bullshit money wasting "cures" out there, msm may have minor effects (due to sulphur content?) on osteoarthritis but not in an aggressive exercise lifestyle.

If you are already in good shape, the best things you can do is keep your weight at a sensible level, healthy diet, swimming, low intensity (joints) exercises that use muscles not normally exercised to support the commonly used muscles, a schedule of circulatory massage / lymphatic drainage is very good too but not to be done on direct swelling, (it was a major help in my early years with it) as muscles, especially in calf's can become really tight and fill with uric acid (which can also cause gout)

Osteoarthritis sufferers may find building muscle around the joints to support them using slow movements with heavier weights helps in supporting the joints (as opposed to lower weights with higher reps for rheumatoid sufferers who need flexibility more).

I will do low impact exercise, but I want to do martial arts, something practical and Thai boxing is just that, maybe with weight loss I can go back to it or choose a more  suitable one for a man of my age and height . I am short four ft 10 inches to b precise.   

I'm in the same boat as you at 43 with blown knees from too many motocross and dirt bike crashes. While I would prefer to practice muay thai, the reality is that it just isn't worth it to inflict more damage on my knees. So the only other option I am interested in is traditional boxing, which is just as good of a workout.

I'm in the same boat as you at 43 with blown knees from too many motocross and dirt bike crashes. While I would prefer to practice muay thai, the reality is that it just isn't worth it to inflict more damage on my knees. So the only other option I am interested in is traditional boxing, which is just as good of a workout.

I did a little boxing years ago thinking there would be less stress on the knee, however they train just as hard on the legs even though they don't use them in the ring to kick.

Edited April 5, 201511 yr by wengweng

I did a little boxing years ago thinking there would be less stress on the knee, however they train just as hard on the legs even though they don't use them in the ring to kick.

 

Ya, for me even jogging is out of the question as my joints and ligaments become inflamed so my cardio is the elliptical.

Well being small I always feel vulnerable (although never in Patters) and I have been  interested in martial arts for some time. I did try a Krav Maga class near me , however it has since closed down and the other options are Karate shukokai style and Thai boxing. There are western boxing clubs around and a once a week judo class, but as I say they can also be hard on the joints for older people.

I did a little boxing years ago thinking there would be less stress on the knee, however they train just as hard on the legs even though they don't use them in the ring to kick.

 

I do not wish to discourage you, however standard boxing is equally hard on the knees and hips. firstly regards your motion and secondly virtually every power punch, even a hook travelling just 6 inches starts below the waist. So sparring would be out along with heavy bag work.  I do not see the point of most martial arts at your age with the joint problems you have, Stretching, yoga and light weight resistance training would keep you fit without causing further damage for the near future.  Link that with fast circuit training and it will take care of your cardio as well. 

 

Tai chi ?? Do that when your 80

I've done both boxing and karate in my youth, if you think Tai Chi is not a viable martial art, please first check the link below. The exercises are slow and measured, (the importance of breathing correctly is also taught) but the whole point of training is to instill movements so that they become an  automatic response when needed. Add yoga for deeper muscle strength and flexibility and then use a swimming pool for kicks and punches with a lot less damage if you want (although you will probably get funny looks).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXj2yySEFho

I do not wish to discourage you, however standard boxing is equally hard on the knees and hips. firstly regards your motion and secondly virtually every power punch, even a hook travelling just 6 inches starts below the waist. So sparring would be out along with heavy bag work.  I do not see the point of most martial arts at your age with the joint problems you have, Stretching, yoga and light weight resistance training would keep you fit without causing further damage for the near future.  Link that with fast circuit training and it will take care of your cardio as well. 

I have started doing circuit training early in the mornings to lose a bit of weight,  I am hoping that the weight loss will help with the kneecap problem and build my stamina. I see the point in martial arts at my age for different reasons, one I am interested in them and for self defense on the streets. However before anyone says I am not talking about pattaya, I have never been or felt threatened there in all my previous visits. Its more about being safe in my own country,I may see about wing chun as an art to take up.

Insider- It was mean tongue in cheek, when I said 'do it when your 80'...Do I think Tai chi is a viable martial art? Yes I guess so. Do I think it offers the same street combat skills and cardio vascular as Muay Thai? ...Absolutely no way !  I checked your link - what a load of nonsense ! Like yourself over the years Ive been involved with Kung fu & Karate, and I  used to be impressed and mesmerised buy the displays they'd put on. But since MMA has come on the scene, it's exposed those so called fighting styles to be ineffective and weak, and really no more than dancing displays, including Thai chi- which no doubt offers the participants better flexibility and posture- but that would be it.

 

Wengweng-   get up the Muay Thai gym  - you'll have no regrets- just do what you can. Theres a couple of good trainers up at Sidyotong...Honestly I wish Id found it earlier in life...

Kikielee, you may want to re-read my posts, i do not at any time infer that Muay Thai  or MMA is not a superior fighting style, you should also note that the guy is under 5ft in his 40's and overweight and been diagnosed with arthritis, no doctor in their right mind would recommend MMA style training or Muay Thai fighting.

Having lived with arthritis myself for quite a long time and having heard "the benefits" of all those glucosamine, etc fables spouted by people who have

 

"possible arthritis"

and been around people who take all kinds of mad, faddish supplements, i think your advice is in this instance not really appropriate, not that i doubt your good intentions for wengweng's health.

Sensible diet, low impact resistance training and a healthy lifestyle, is good advice, Tai Chi is given as a viable alternative for some peace of mind, if he feels insecure in his ability to defend himself, at the end of the day 2 things are certain:

1. He is not going to meet many MMA trained muggers out to kick his ass.

2. A short dumpy inexperienced middle aged guy is always going to be in real danger against any half decent younger, fitter, street fighter, false confidence is a killer in a violent confrontation.

Edited April 10, 201511 yr by insider

Tai Chi is great exercise if your looking for longevity, has its martial elements too..

Insider- His height is irrelevant, and his age is even more irrelevant. His possible arthritis will hold him back slightly- but as I said "do what you can" ...Don't understand the relevance of point 1 & 2 !

 

From personal experience Glucosamine is top of the tree for painful joints. Having taken it for some time, I stopped recently, and the pain returned, I've taken it again- pain gone. 2,000mg per day is the optimum amount, split twice a day. A friend in his late 60s (had 2 hip replacements) swears by it too. So in my mind it's not a 'faddish' supplement'...and you say you've heard about it, so why don't you try it? so then you can speak from personal experience, and not from 'hear say'... 

Not sure where you live but i would recommend aikido. More about blending and leveraging other peoples weight and strength against them. Muay Thai is a great sport, art, yet the reality of a 4'10" guy dropping a 6 footer with a roundhouse to the head is not likely.

 

In Pattaya maybe check out the Wu Shu Shaolin school on 3rd rd just north of Pattaya Klang on the east side of the street

 

Don't understand the relevance of point 1 & 2 !

"Well being small I always feel vulnerable" that's a direct quote from the OP so see the relevance now?

As for glucosamine, not being faddish

Results. Area under the curve analysis for the primary outcome measure showed no difference between placebo and glucosamine [mean difference 0.15 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI) −8.78 to 9.07]. The placebo response was 33%. There was a statistically significant difference between groups in knee flexion (mean difference 13°, 95% CI −23.13 to −1.97), but this difference was small and could have been due to measurement error.

Conclusions. As a symptom modifier in OA patients with a wide range of pain severities, glucosamine sulphate was no more effective than placebo.

 

Please show me any reliable research (other than on horses) that it is effective, every reputable study shows at best very minor negligible (to the point of insignificance) results that even then are limited to knee joints. I have been recommended dozens of supplements over the years, some i have tried, including glucosamine ( which annoyed my stomach and gave me heartburn), to absolutely no positive affect. What next should i waste my money on. By the way i also at one point in my life studied holistic therapies and qualified in said course, so have put in the required study to know that of which i speak.

I not only suffer from arthritis i know quite a few fellow sufferers, they try all kinds of supplements, i also followed my own advice after my diagnosis which was 24 years ago and i have, as of now the least amount of issues in comparison to my fellow suffers, that is despite having piled on the weight after becoming ill with Graves disease (which normally makes 9 out of 10 lose weight and only 1 in 10 gain, lucky or what, lol) now sorted (fingers crossed).

I packed in heavy weights, football and karate, i lost weight, ate healthier, swam regularly, i have a job that is very strenuous, (building industry) which does cause me very considerable pain nowadays but i know people who swear by supplements who don't work in the building industry who are in a much worse way than I.

I did some Thai boxing training. that knee to the rib cage, the next morning I couldn't walk I'd got sciatica. Took four months to go. 

Insider- point 1&2 are still irrelevant ! go back and have a read....As for Glucosamine- it's renowned for building damaged cartridge- as I said it works for me...and I know many friends that swear by it.

 

You qualified in holistic therapies,  but you rely on scientific research??..I guess the very scientific research that says holistic therapies is a load of shit !...

 

For an arthritis sufferer with many unlucky diseases, you pack in a lot of activity !! lol

 

1&2 are still irrelevant

Obviously not otherwise you would have explained why they were irrelevant.

 

Glucosamine- it's renowned for building damaged cartridge-

Renowned by who, I asked you to cite any credible studies, instead you come up with hearsay / anecdotal reasons.

 

I qualified in holistic therapies a couple of decades ago, that included learning about posture, Swedish massage and aromatherapy oils and their uses in massage, the way our anatomy works, Alexander technique and so forth. All interesting stuff and yes i do look to science to verify claims ( Did i say i believed all the claims made by the quacks that often masquerade as holistic therapists?) because i am not some credulous fool.

 

For an arthritis sufferer with many unlucky diseases, you pack in a lot of activity !! lol

i had graves disease two years ago, ( i still get blood tested for it) I am in my 40's so where do you get "a lot of unlucky diseases from?"

I do a hard job, a job that is often unforgiving health-wise and I do try to remain active, I work hard because i have bills to pay, responsibilities and a lifestyle to maintain and i should what ? stop ? retrain (done that and ended up back on the building work again) If i find something else that pays well i will definitely be giving it serious consideration, i have done a number of jobs over the years as it is, but some jobs i hate, i.e "call center(shudder) work, some pay lousy wages (cook). The holistic therapies i studied and worked at for a year living on savings after i ripped some nerves in my back in a car crash.

if you want to give anecdotal advice be prepared to be challenged by people who actually might have more in-depth knowledge than yourself. As i have already said i have heard a tonne of anecdotal "evidence" on all manner of so called miracle treatments for arthritis should i believe them all or research them and as i said i have used glucosamine, if you think it works then bully for you, do keep buying it and i hope your "probable" arthritis does not become "actual" arthritis.

Actually I have been speaking to my   Thai  boxing Trainer and explained to him  my predicament, I told him about taking up low impact exercises such as spinning class and using  elliptical machines. He told me to just take my time and it was possible to come back. So hopefully eventually I will b able to return to Thai boxing after strengthening my legs.

Insider- This is beyond me now- can't be arsed...It's seems you're one of these guys where the glass is always half empty....Try some positive thinking shit- it would do you the world of good.