Key to relieving pain is long walk

I was sitting in the doctor’s office recently wishing the doctor would let go of my knee. It was my second visit for the same complaint. My knee hurt, and it hurt even more when he pressed on the sore spot.
A few months earlier I had been there for the same thing. After a series of X-rays revealed minor arthritis, I left with a prescription for pain pills. Now, the pills were long gone and the pain was back. This time I asked what I should have asked the first time. What could I do to make it better?
The answer surprised me. Walk. Every day. Alternate a two-mile trek with a one-mile jaunt. Plus there were a couple of simple exercises and the suggestion to keep my weight under control. I could walk on a treadmill, elliptical machine or outside as long as I got moving.
I am not thrilled about the diagnosis as both my mother and my husband have had a knee replaced due to the long-term effects of arthritis. The inflammation and erosion of cartilage had resulted in great pain for both of them. I saw what they went through after the surgery. I want to avoid the same fate as long as possible.
While nobody knows for sure exactly what causes the disease, there are things that make it more or less likely that one will be afflicted. Genetics, age and gender are all uncontrollable. The more relatives one has with it increases the odds of also having to deal with its effects. The older one gets, the more likely it is that “arthur” will show up. Being female increases the risk.
One controllable risk factor is weight. The more one weighs, the more stress is put on the joints. Walking helps strengthen the muscles around the joints, thus lessening the stress on the joint itself.
Some activities that require repetitive movements or heavy lifting can harm the joints over time, eventually leading to damage.
According to the Arthritis Foundation there are more than 50 million Americans with arthritis. About 27 million of those have osteoarthritis, which is what I have.
At first I tried the folk remedy of honey and cinnamon. It didn’t work but I did discover a source of the best honey I have ever had. Then I tried over-the-counter pain relievers. When they stopped working, I tried modern medicine.
I am happy to say that the combination of mild pain relievers combined with walking almost every day has gotten the pain under control. The first few times I walked, I stopped several times to rub the ache away. A couple of times it hurt so much that I silently chanted, “one more step, just one more step and you can go home.” Once I did that for the entire two miles.
The stop sign that marks my halfway point has become my new best friend. After I get to that stop sign, every step I take is one step closer to home.
An added benefit to walking is stress relief. It feels good to be outside in the fresh air, even if it is colder than I would like. The quiet is as rejuvenating as the exercise itself.
If the giant dogs that live near my favorite stop sign are out, their deep woofs raise my heart rate every time. On the other hand, the ankle biters that wait until I’m well past their house before they start barking, only make me smile. The little white dog tethered to the clothesline always yips a friendly hello.
The point of all this is not to elicit pity but to say that attitude makes all the difference in the world. I could easily curl up in my chair and whine about how much I hurt. I could stay inside and rest because it is cold outside.
I could use the excuse that today might be the day that the giant dogs will tear me limb from limb even though they have never set foot out of their yard. Or I could bundle up and go for a walk.
Then when I get back home, my cheeks will be rosy with relief that not only didn’t I get eaten or even maimed, I will have done something positive that really does make me feel better. Sometimes all it takes is to continue putting one foot in front of the other.