You all made me chuckle to myself! Labor Day...yep Tanya and I labored also. She dug some plants that sold on the LA and helped shovel about 700 lbs out of 4 tons of horse compost out of the pickup from my brothers place. I did the rest of the shoveling. Finally she has no more area to make beds out of! I've also been busy getting the Spring planted seedlings into a permanent place. Got 350 in since Friday and only have 235 more to go. Of course pods are coming on rather heavy too, so no rest for the weary. LOL Think on the upside...were all in pretty good shape from all the exersize we've been getting.

It's possible that one situation is aggravating the other. What I would do is go to the orthopedist to find out what is wrong with your knee. Good for you for doing aerobics, but you sure don't want to make the knee any worse. As for the plantars, it's a curse, isn't it? I had it when I was on crutches for months--it was on the good foot, the one that was doing all the work. It took months to go away. What helped? Two visits to a therapeutic masseuse, stretching out the foot often, and always wearing soft shoes, never going barefoot, not even to the bathroom at night, and I kept a cushiony towel in the bottom of the shower. Good luck.

"And if you google pilates for sciatica you can find exercises to try at home." "Another important factor is getting or keeping weight off the stomach, and strengthening the stomach muscles. A big belly with weak muscles can put a lot of stress on the spine." I have had one bout of sciatica that came on suddenly and was incredibly painful-quoted the above insights because what has worked for me is Pilates. I was taking group lessons and when the trainer went out on her own I followed her. She is very good at getting me to move and stretch past what I would do on my own without straining or overdoing it; Pilates of course is also all about strengthening one's core muscles and I've not had any more sciatic problems. Thank goodness for that, it was one of the most excruciating pains I've ever experienced. Ann

Lori, my dear child! Let me tell you what it feels like at 83! LOL. And has been feeling like that more or less, off and on for about 60 years. (I was first diagnosed with arthritis when I was 23.) And getting worse all the time. I have not tried G/C. I have not tried the Gin and raisins, which by the way I think that idea came over on the Mayflower, it is so old. Don't do magnets, either. I've never believed any of those things would help. I could be wrong, but I've never known anyone who would vouch for them over the long run. I have tried a lot of things, including all the Nsaids; they all help, for a while, or until your stomach ulcers appear, or your liver goes screwey. or they are taken off the market, whichever comes first. I did water aerobics for 12-15 years, until just the going and doing was exhausting. I have had several rounds of physical therapy, including through the Pain Clinic. I've had both knees replaced, and yes, they still hurt sometimes. I have had the left elbow problem, which my Rheumo doc called "golfer's elbow." Never played golf. My spine? You don't even want to know. Cold weather? Horrible! I haven't even finished putting away my Christmas decorations, because they go in the garage and it is freezing out there, even though it is attached! We are up to a sizzling 32 right now. Golden years? I've said many times: My golden years turned out to be brass plated! Enough of, no, not complaining, just stating the facts. Even so I still insist that I'm going to live to be a hundred! It does beat the alternative. Stay warm as best you can. Sue