Kirsty Kayn

Why I'm doing this

June 2024 was the start of a journey I never quite expected. An embarrassing fall in town one busy Saturday morning resulted in some hospital visits which later confirmed bilateral knee osteoarthritis ~ basically, my knees are pretty knackered. Being in my 30s I was ignored by doctors for so long, telling me I'm just too busy, need to rest more, its just because I'm tall, I've been lifting weights too heavy for me etc. All completely conflicting opinions. 

Instead of letting things go, I decided to advocate for myself and pushed for further investigations. Only then was it discovered and confirmed that I have moderate stage bilateral knee osteoarthritis, with my left knee being slightly worse than my right.

Being younger than a lot of people who are diagnosed with this condition can be frustrating because nobody wants to help with a treatment plan to regain mobility or advice on recovery after, or even during, a bad flare up. 

I'm refusing to let arthritis win and take away my ability to move freely through life without pain. Knee replacements have been spoken about, but not at my age. Fitness, movement and health are what are most important to me right now. I've lost all confidence and enjoyment in the gym but I know movement is the best treatment for my body. This is why I'm committing to 1000 minutes in the gym in the month of May. I know it says 1140 but I dont know how to change it 😅

I'm moving through May advocating for everyone who's young and has been brushed off with excuses from the doctors because of their age, when they've been in pain the whole time, just not listened to. I'm raising money for someone under 45 to go through the procedure of being diagnosed with osteoarthritis. It sucks, but its not the end of the world. Lets make a difference together ❤️