I MET with roofing specialist, Dave Simmons, as he and his team set about rebuilding a partially collapsed roof on a house.

Dave is very hands on, there is no directing from the side - lines. It is clear that he likes to be involved in every thing, from unloading materials, going up and down scaffolding, constantly on the go. Looking at him now it’s hard to believe that just over three months ago he could hardly get out of his armchair without severe

knee pain and he had to walk with a walking stick. I asked Dave what had caused the problem? “I think it’s due to working through long cold winters and also some old injuries from when I used to play foot ball,” the 54-year-old widower told me as we shared a flask of hot tea. “Then about 18 months ago I noticed that the pain and stiffness first thing in the morning was getting worse and would last throughout the day. Some days it was agony, so much so that I struggled to walk properly.”

Dave saw a specialist who told him that he had osteoarthritis in both of his knees and it was vital he needed to change his life style so that he didn’t put so much pressure through his knees.“Considering my job as a roofer, that would have meant giving up working and basically sitting in an armchair for the rest of my life. Sorry, but that’s just not me and never will be – I love the physical side of my job and I’ve spent 17 years building up my business – I was not ready to give it up yet.”

Dave tried anti-inflammatories but with very limited success. As much as he fought the crippling pain and immobility, it steadily got the better of him. Dave confided in me that he had seriously considered asking his doctor for tablets for depression. Like so many others in his position he felt such asense of loss of indepen dence and even dignity. It wasn’t just the agony and pain he suffereddaily but the ‘soul destroying’ thought that it would only get worse and he’d never get back to his old ‘physical’ self again. Suddenly, almost over night he felt that he’d become an old man.

Then, after 18 months of suffering, he received a call, one of his old mates.

I’ve known Bill for over 30 years and he’d been suffering with his knees for at least 10 years. When I told him about my knee problems I expected him to sympa thize, but he went on to tell me he no longer had pains in his knees since his physiotherapist advised him to try this Active - 3 Knee Support”, Dave explained this whilst lifting up his trouser leg to show me the knee support he was wearing.

“Bill told me that it had changed his life and he’d even gone back to work for the council. So I odered one right away and gave it a try. I’m not joking, but I was about walking without pain within a minute of put ting it on. And I went back to work just two days later. It was amazing! It was like having two new knees!

“The Active-3 support has made such a dif ference to my life. Getting up and down stairs, and ladders, used to be so painful but with the knee supports on I could manage it with no problems at all.Walking for long periods hadbeen a no-no for almost 18 months, but now I can walk for hours. It’s also made a difference when I am driving for long periods – I used to get a dull ache in my left knee but the Active-3 takes the pressure off it’s been truly amazing.”

The manufacturers of the Active - 3 Knee Support highlight a number of pain reduc ing and mobilising features. It’s designed ergonomically to ab sorb a high degree of pressure and movement whilst locking in heat around the whole knee cap. It is fully adjustable and has flexible spring stabilizers for added support. It has been rigorously tested and comes highly recommended by physio therapists.

“Thanks to this knee support I can keep active.” Dave’s success story seems to be echoed by so many others who have tried the Active - 3 Knee Support. The manu facturer offers all customers the chance to try them for 90 days and will happily refund any one who doesn’t get relief from pain! This promise has tempted thousands to try it, changing lives for so many sufferers. For Dave it has worked wonders. “It’s great to feel alive again”, he cheerfully told me.