Some strains, pains can be treated without doctors

CHICAGO -- It happened to Jane Byron, a nurse, years after a fall while in-line skating, business owner Haralee Weintraub while doing "men's" push-ups, and avid cyclist Gene Wilberg while lifting a heavy box.

It's that pop, strain or suddenly swollen joint that reminds older adults they aren't as young as they'd like to think.

Even among the fittest baby boomers, aging bodies aren't as nimble as they used to be, and they're more prone to minor damage that can turn serious if ignored. But not every twist or turn needs medical attention, and knowing when it's OK to self-treat pays off in the long run, in dollars and in health.

Costly knee replacements have more than tripled in people aged 45-64 in recent years. A study released last week found that nearly 1 in 20 Americans older than 50 have these artificial joints. But active boomers can avoid that kind of drastic treatment by properly managing aches and pains.

Injuries that need immediate treatment cause unrelenting pain, or force you to stop your activity at once and prevent normal motion. Examples are a swollen, bent elbow that won't straighten, or a knee that collapses when you try to stand, said Dr. Charles Bush-Joseph of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.

Treatment for more run-of-the mill activity-related injuries is less clear-cut. A good rule of thumb for lower-body injuries is this: "If you're able to bear weight, it's safe to self-treat," at least initially. Even if taking a few steps is painful, just being able to put weight on an injury means it's probably not a medical emergency, Bush-Joseph said.

In some ways, Byron exemplifies the best, and worst, ways to handle those injuries.

At 51, the New York City cancer nurse is a self-described exercise "maniac." Her daily workouts include walking, biking, leg pressing 400-pound weights and stair-climbing at her gym.

She rejects the idea that she might be overdoing it, so she had some choice words for the doctor who suggested she consider slowing down a bit when her right knee swelled up six years ago. She had torn cartilage, probably from a 1999 fall while in-line skating. Byron had never been in pain nor sought treatment for that injury until the swelling began.

She had the cartilage surgically repaired and injections of lubricant medicine for knee arthritis. Continuing rigorous workouts until 2010, she developed hip pain, probably from favoring her bum knee. By then she needed both knees replaced, but she was told that being so fit would speed her recovery. Within a week after both surgeries, she was back riding an indoor bike.