Glucosamine - any good?

[A100man]

Strained/damaged a cuff rotator tendon about a month ago - trying to stop a falling m'bike ..

.. read somewhere Glucosamine supplement can help repair damaged joints but my mate says it's nonsense, fairy dust. I'd bought some so I'm taking it anyway but is he right?
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[stinkwheel]

To the best of my knowledge there's no clinical evidence it helps. Not that there have been a lot of good studies.

People use it in their dogs too. My general advice is it's very unlikely to make things worse*. They usually come along with a high essential fatty acid suppliment too, there is more evicence for these being a good thing for you generally, although it's not so clear if it's specifically good for your musculoskeletal system.

*I am an outlying case where it made things worse, I tried a glucosamine suppliment which also contained a high EFA content. As it turns out this was made from green lip mussel extract which gave me an almost immediate and severe gout flare-up and totally crippled me for several days. To the point I had to drag myself on my backside to get between my bed and the toilet.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[The Artist]

When I was working abroad and had a foot injury, I was told to drink these little shots of collagen for similar reasons.

After doing a lot of reading and trying to understand if there is anything that helps, my conclusion was no, not really. Not collagen or glucosamine as your body needs to do the repairs and having extra "stuff" in your system, doesn't promote faster or better healing.

[MarJay]

It helps with arthritis type joint issues, not with muscular ones from my understanding. I've been taking it for years as I have a genetic bone disorder and I'm a bit concerned it might give me a higher risk of arthritis... I can't say a lot other than I've been taking it and I don't currently have arthritis.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[A100man]

Thanks chaps - IIRC this particular preaption come bundled with Vitamin C in something that resembles a horse tablet..

No side affects I can tell so far and the shoulder is getting better little by little although I'm inclined to use it when perhaps I shouldn't be...

Maybe I'll take a few more if only for teh Vit C to keep Scurvy at bay...
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[MCN]

Immobilise/support the joint if there's severe pain. An over thencounter analgesic. Tendons and ligaments take forever to heal. And usually never return to their former glory.

I blootered my shoulder when I mis-rode my bike and had to step off at about 20mph. I think it was clavicle and rotator cuff, nerve damage and other connective/soft tissue damage.
I still cannot play the piano.

I got one of those powerball things to play with. Resistance Training. I believe it helped speed recovery and build up the joint.
I never got any medical attention for it.
It would have been strapped up and I was travelling at the time.

Ask your GP. They may refer you to a physio.
Or... go private.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[stinkwheel]

No point going to a GP, they are useless about orthopaedics. You'll be better before an NHS physio referral comes through (and may have healed wrong in the interim).

An appointment with a private physio is worth it. They'll give you exercises to do to help it heal correctly without impingements or loss of movement.

I damaged my shoulder a few years back. Thankfully I didn't tear my rotator cuff, I just flat out broke it, avulsed the greater tubercle of the humerus falling off a ladder.

I was given a lot of exercises to do, none of them particularly arduous but just to be done regularly. I'd say it's 90-95% of where it was before now although it was a long journey, shoulders are an outrageously tricky joint in humans. Took a year before i could lift my arm over shoulder height unassisted.

As I remember, I only needed two physio appointments. They showed me the exercises, I did them, it got better. I'm a physios least favourite patient. Mrs stinkwheel is their favourite kind, they give her the exercises, she does them for a week then forgets about it and comes back in six months for another appointment because the problem isn't better. Good repeat business.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[hellkat]

I take it now and then (similarly, of the huge "plus VitC" variety) but I have no idea if it works or not. As its only occasionally, it probably doesn't make any difference.

I randomly take an assortment of supplements to make myself feel vindicated that I am "kinda doing something" to help myself in my old age. I keep them in the kitchen drawer along with a bottle of Vit D, some folic acid (because stupidly anaemic if I don't pay attention to nutrition) and a bottle of Cod Liver Oil (horse tablets) and just take some when I remember.

Sometimes I take a fizzy multivitamin so that I am "like me but on a really good day".

I'm not terribly consistent about it, I see it more as a topping-up-the-levels kind of thing due to my somewhat erratic eating plan ("mostly-keto")
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[DaddyStu]

Towards the end of my mountain biking days I took a variety of supplements in a vain attempt to stave off the ravages of time. In retrospect I wish I hadn't. Think I've screwed up my insides, perhaps the liver. Whether thats down to the supplement itself or potentially untrustworthy sources I don't know. Too many unknowns - better to stick to natural sources.

Stopped all of it when my gut developed a sudden acute reaction to whey protein shakes. Megavomit with even a teaspoon full.

On rotator cuffs (and AC joints) - best recovery seemed to be the old classic - dont use it. Cheap commonly available straps help with that too. This is only for the lower grade injuries though as for both surgery is often required.
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Daddystu
Zontes 125-G1 (part-ex'd). Yamaha Tracer 700.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Easy-X]

[MCN]

[hellkat]

[A100man]

[MCN]

[A100man]