Quote Originally Posted by estherderu View Post
dear hockeyplayer,
as a former hockeyplayer I can emphasize and understand your plight.
I am not so much in favour or putting anything in joints through injections and IF at all, then by a orthopedic surgeon only.
BUT I would only allow for 1 cortisone injection ever....have seen too many bad results after too much cortisone injections...

The best treatment is probably listening to your body and not doing the things that hurt you anymore.
There is a time to stop.... and take up something else less strenuous... sorry for this..

Esther
thank you Ester! I do appreciate your advice, but I'm not quite to the point of quitting rec hockey. Hockey is like my cocaine, heroine and antidepressant all wrapped up into one neat little game! Ive been managing my SC symptoms by maintaining ROM and have learned what rotational arm movement causes the joint to catch and pop. I use heat and ice on a regular basis and do upper body weight work (light) to keep the muscle groups toned. I've cut way back on my playing time and also I'm aware of movements that make it worse. But my question is, wouldn't it be better to shoot a little steroid in there and calm down the pain and swelling than to have an inflamed joint that re-irritates with the wrong movement? The right joint has calmed down to no symptoms at all after 2 shots and prolotherapy. It was the first joint to present with pain and swelling. Then the left joint became inflamed ~3+ years later. It is now the problem joint.
I've had degenerative/arthritic joints in hands, wrist, hips, low back, but I treat them with exercise, ice/heat, and anti-inflammatories (diclofenac is my favorite). Most of these symptoms have passed and I've maintained a pretty active lifestyle.