1989- ACL reconstruction of right knee, lots of cartilage damage. I start cycling daily to rehab the knee, this starts a 20 year daily riding routine.

2008- knee starts getting stiff, swollen, go back to the knee surgeon, he says it's just getting arthritic. Since Advil and other NSAIDs hadn't helped, I go for Synvisc shots. They work great after I have the shots in Feb. 2008.

Sept. 2008 - knee gets cranky again. Dr. prescribes Meloxicam, a NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). That works amazingly well, I take like one pill a week, keeps my knee loose until December 08.

Dec. 2008 - now I start taking the Meloxicam more frequently and it's less effective. I'm 51 years old now by the way.

By late February my knee is bad enough that I've made an appointment for more Synvisc injections. So here's the interesting part. I start reading the label on the Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements at the store. I notice the pricier ones have compounds that are not in the cheaper ones I've been using, mainly MSM. I buy a couple with MSM. I start taking them.

POOF, within 5 days my knee feels GREAT. This was about a month ago, My knee is still FINE. I cancel my appointment for the shots.

That's amazing to me. If it's a Placebo Effect, it's working. But I don't think so. I think it is the MSM.