Young with joint pain... any suggestions?

Hi there... I'm not sure what good a post like this will do but I'm desperate so what the heck.

I just turned 28 and feel rather young for what I'm going through. I'm also 5'11" and 180lbs so I'm fairly average in weight. I have a few issues that are going on and I'm not sure if light exercise / stretching / vitamin supplements are in order.

Issue 1: Wrists
I've been working on computers for about 10 years now and about 2 years ago, I started getting wrist problems (tendinitis or what have you). I backed off and also started using a vertical mouse to keep my hands in a more neutral position, but I still get pain and popping here and there. For instance, I avoid pushups since the weight of my body on my wrists kinda hurts and leaves them feeling inflamed and slightly aggravated. This occurs with must simpler tasks as well, like screwing in screws, holding something for an extended period, etc.

Issue 2: Ankles, Knees and Hips
I have severe flat feet and pronated ankles. Last summer, after experiencing mild ankle pain, I finally got fit for fairly aggressive orthotics that provide arch support and also turn my ankles more outward to compensate for the pronation. While I love wearing them (they feel great, honest!) I have developed popping in my ankles here and there. Sometimes I'll feel a slight warmth and light discomfort in my ankles and I pop them and the discomfort goes away momentarily. Furthermore, my knees have begun to get sore, as well as my hips.

I'm not sure if orthotics take a year or two to acclamate to, or if I should be concerend.

So, a couple comments. My mom is about 50 and is already having arthritis problems, though my dad seems to be fine. I'm not sure if I have some type of early onset arthritis? Another thing I'm thinking about is calcium. I'm fairly lactose intolerant, so I don't drink milk very often. I'm not sure how that affects wrists though. Finally, I've tried taking Omega 3 / fish oil supplements and after reading up about it, have been suggested that it's just a placebo.

Can anyone offer any advice? I'm a full time college student / full time worker and simply don't have a ton of time or money, though I have spent over $1000 for orthotics and countless hours trying to research this... it seems that most articles aren't geared for people my age though...

Any pointers would be wonderful.

One more tidbit, I sit a lot... A LOT. I work a desk job, and then sit in class and sit to do homework and sit driving to and from places. I would love to exercise more but I don't want to inflame anything....

Thanks for any help!

Our stories sound alot alike. You mentioned some of the supplements you are taking, but have you looked into Glucosamine?

When I turned 30 I began experiencing joint pain in my knee and wrist. I researched my symptoms and discovered that it was a Glucosamine deficiency. Glucosamine is a component of cartilage and our bodies slow in production as we age. Unfortunately, there are no practical food sources other than supplements.

I’ve evaluated supplements, by type/absorption and quality:

Which Form of Glucosamine is Most Effective and Easiest to Administer?
There are three forms of glucosamine available today. Injection, solid and liquid. One of the best ways to take glucosamine from a chemical perspective would be to daily inject glucosamine into your joints. There no commercially available products on the market today that are in the injectable form. However, drinking a high quality liquid would confer essentially the same benefits. Due to absorption issues and potential problems with less effective forms of glucosamine, pills or tablets are not recommended –Arthritis & Glucosamine Information Center.

Given this information, I am not discussing pills. I actually found an in-between product in Wal-Mart. It’s a chewable by Spring Valley (A serving is 3 chews and each package contains 16 doses for about $12). It’s chalky, orange flavored and leaves an aftertaste, but I did notice improvement after about 3 weeks so I decided to upgrade.

Ardyss International makes a product called Coral Calcium it is a complete source of calcium, calcitonin and glucosamine to nourish and protect the skeletal system. In addition to relieving joint pain it: increases the absorption of calcium, magnesium and potassium; helps to fight osteoporosis; maintains healthy bones and teeth; clean kidneys, intestines and liver; fights arthritis and heart conditions. It costs $50 and is only available through a distributor. I decided to sign up as a distributor to get the discount. Now, I only pay $30.

I am no doctor and there was a disclaimer on my sources stating that “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”, but I still wanted to share my research with you.

Take Care,
Veronica Ross
veronica_ross@ymail.com
www.ardysslife.com/en/vross