Tools of the Trade: Lazy and Cheap Pain Management

September 7, 2008 at 8:11 pm | Posted in General Health, Injury, Product Review | 11 Comments

For those of you who have been reading this blog from the beginning, you know that I suffer from chronic knee problems. My bad left knee is the primary reason that I’ve waited so long to finally train for a marathon. So far, so good *knocks on wood*.

I’ve already discussed how I treat and prevent this knee pain: Trigger Point and ART, muscle corrective exercises, and a training method that allows my body to rest. 

But I cannot believe that I’ve left out two key products that I use to control and treat my knee pain. For those of you with milder pain who don’t want to spend a lot of money on Trigger Point and Active Release Technique, and don’t want to spend the time on a bunch of exercises, here’s a lazy, cheap, non-alcoholic way to treat and prevent.

Behold, the Lazy Runner’s Ice Pack.

That black tail-looking thing is a velcro strap. I keep this in my freezer, and after I run and shower I wrap it around my knee and then continue getting ready for work. No sitting around wasting time while holding an ice pack on my leg. This one is from CVS Pharmacy.  

Next, a more exotic product.

Allow me to introduce you to Absorbine. And yes, it does say “Veterinary Liniment Gel” on the front. It’s for arthritic horses, and it’s Ben-Gay + Icy Hot to the 8 billionth power. And it smells better. Slightly. As in your significant other will only move to the other side of the mattress instead of to the couch if you wear this to bed.

It’s great and very inexpensive. I got my bottle at my local feed store. If you do not live somewhere with a local feed store (you poor, deprived thing), I believe they have a website.

Yes, horse liniment. You heard it hear first, people.

Supplements

I also take a Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplement. I’m not sure if it’s working, but I’m afraid to discontinue use while my knee is doing well. When choosing a supplement, make sure to check that it contains glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. If it says HCL anywhere on the label, don’t buy that kind. It won’t work.

I also take omega essential fatty acid supplements. These are good for you for many reasons, but in terms of pain management, they are a natural anti-inflammatory. That means they will make your joints feel gooood. I also make attempts to incorporate these fats into my diet. It’s best if you also eat a lot of foods rich in vitamin C, which will aid in muscle repair.