support garments | Arthritis Information

I wore a skirt the other day, and since I wanted a smooth line without a slip, I wore a spanx support garment. And I noticed much less pain in my hips. So I wore it to work today under my uniform, and I actually had some energy this evening instead of collapsing on the sofa and falling asleep. I'm going to try sleeping in it to see if I actually make it through the night without waking up from pain.

My suspicion of why it seems to be working is that it traps body heat. Right at the groin where my hip pain originates. And perhaps the compression keeps me from moving in ways that would aggravate the pain. Anyways, I'll experiment for a few more days before investing in more of them and i'll ask my Dr for his opinion (but I doubt he'll have experience with such garb)....

This is pretty exciting. Since Mobic/meloxicam has a limited effect on pain, and I'm feeling more energetic for this time of evening than I have in more than a year!
--Natasha
Yea! A reason why it works! Hi Natasa,

I have had OA in my knees for many years (particularly the one I wrecked skiing when I was young). My orthopod says I need a replacement, but wants to hold off until I'm older, and truthfully, I know a couple of people who have had bad experiences, so I'm not in a big hurry to have it done anyway. It also seems to have spread to my hands.

I have had Synvisc injections to the point where they no longer help. Vioxx, Ibuprophen and Celebrex were of limited help, and I didn't like the side effects of oxycontin. I take Aleve once a day, and that helps a bit (my hands more than the knees.)

A few years ago, after having orthoscopy, I bought a pair of (compression) running tights to see if they would provide some support. They helped a lot - in fact they helped far more than any medication the doctors gave me.

I started wearing them any time I was going to do a lot of walking (for me), or when my knees got particularly achie. Since that is most of the time, now, I wear them most of the time. There are some brands out that provide a lot of support, and are very light; so they can be worn under regular clothing unnoticed. This may not be the ultimate solution, but I find they really help.