StemCell Therapy

Fresh off a third-place finish in the 2017 Burton U.S. Open slopestyle competition, Olympian and five-time X Games medalist Spencer OBrien is arguably one of the sports most progressive and talented riders. But thats the stuff of headlines.

Behind the scenes, the Canadian, 29, has fought her way through painful rheumatoid arthritis since a 2013 diagnosis, just two months before the Sochi Winter Olympics.

The year before OBriens genetic condition was identified was torture. Advancing swelling and stiffness made it nearly impossible to get out of bed, let alone launch off of a lofty, icy slopestyle feature.

I was like an 80-year-old woman, but I was only 25, OBrien told GrindTV. Id go to the gym and have morning stiffness for five hours. It was mind-blowing that I let it go on that long.

But it wasnt surprising. Onset of her arthritis was slow, it often presented as injury and no one in OBriens immediate family had it. It was hard to diagnose.

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In the morning I would have creaky, achy knees, but it would subside. You adapt to it, she says. I thought I was just getting older. I do an impact sport, so I thought it was normal aches and pains. You get blinded by the pain.

In fact, the arthritic inflammation of OBriens joints was especially awful in her shoulders. By Olympic trials time, she couldnt lift her arms over her head. There were cortisone shots, a progressing cyst in her knee and scary joint inflammation in her toes.

Id have to prep myself to lift my head off the pillow, she says. Putting my feet on the ground was so hard.

From trauma to treatment Once doctors finally nailed the issue, OBrien was exhausted mentally and physically. Amazingly, she has continued to compete as shes dialed in medical treatment over the years.

Now she injects a refrigerated shot in her thigh once a month for prolonged relief. While the immune suppressant helps ward off the bodys inflammatory response, it also makes OBrien more susceptible to infection, which means she can get sick easily.

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Even small cuts, if they were to infect the blood or bones, could be deadly.

Im a young woman, so I dont want to be on this injection forever, OBrien says. But for now, its working. Theres more hope: Rheumatoid arthritis can go into remission. However, the trade-off is going off the medicine, and OBrien is not ready to test that just yet.

An elimination diet is another alternative something shes researching. But first theres more snowboarding to prepare for, which, for OBrien, includes extensive dryland training more than most in her sport will do.

Im focused on the [2018 PyeongChang, South Korea] Olympics now. It would be amazing to go again for Canada, says OBrien, who, newly diagnosed at Sochi, didnt even make it to the opening and closing ceremonies.

I finally feel my age again, OBrien says, like a fully able-bodied person.

See original here:
Pro snowboarder Spencer O'Brien overcomes odds of early arthritis - GrindTV

This entry was posted on March 17, 2017 at 7:41 am and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |