Bedridden arthritis sufferer who was facing a double knee replacement is now 'pain free' thanks to £30 copper insoles Keith Young, 69, was bedridden by painful arthritis in both of his knees He had to give up golf and country walks with his wife, Elsa Young Feared he would need a knee replacement but tried insoles as a last resort Within a week his mobility had increased and he is now 'pain free' A father-of-three who suffered such painful arthritis he feared he would need a double knee replacement says he has been cured by a pair of insoles. Keith Young, 69, was bedridden when he was hit by crippling arthritis in both knees three years ago. Mr Young, who was a keen scuba diver, golfer and fisherman, was in so much pain he considered ordering a Zimmer frame or undergoing knee replacement surgery. However, in a final attempt to avoid these desperate measures he tried inserting copper insoles into his shoes. Bedridden: Keith Young, 69, struggled with crippling arthritis until his wife bought him copper insoles Within five weeks, the retired print firm boss noticed the pain was beginning to ease and now he is back on the golf course. Mr Young, of Valentia Island, County Kerry, Ireland, said: "I had arthritis in both knees. It was getting worse and worse. I'm overweight and 69-years-old and I was dreading the thought of needing two replacement knees. It got so bad I ended up walking with a walking stick and was considering a Zimmer frame. This lasted for two or three months. The pain and the swelling were unbelievable. I took so many painkillers and paracetamol. I was at my wits" end. I used to stay in bed two days a week and then I ended up bed ridden. I was extremely depressed and putting on more weight due to the fact I was unable to exercise. I am an active sort of bloke, always have been. I used to walk regularly, play golf and scuba dive. The father-of-three believed he was being plagued by old football injuries when he began to feel pain and discomfort in his knees late in 2010. He visited the doctor who told him to see how things went for a while and 'come back if his condition worsened'. Within a week of inserting the copper insoles, Mr Young noticed the pain was beginning to ease Within weeks the arthritis began to impact on his ability to enjoy his active lifestyle. Between early 2011 and mid 2012 Keith was forced to give up golf. He also found it impossible to enjoy his regular walks in the countryside with wife Elsa, 67. Defying his wife's wishes, Keith refused to go back to the doctor amid fears he would need a knee replacement. Mrs Young scoured the web and stumbled upon a website selling copper insoles. She bought him a pair and he inserted them in his shoes, before spending the day sitting down watching television. Within a week, he was more mobile, and was soon fit enough to join his wife on an occasional walk to the shops. Five weeks later he started to accompany Mrs Young on walks in the country with the help of a walking stick. Now, he is nearly back to full fitness and is looking forward to getting his golf handicap down in April when the spring weather arrives. He is now also able to walk briskly without pain. He said: "My pain has gone. I am no longer depressed and have cut right back on the pain killers. After being bed ridden for six weeks because of the pain I was very depressed. I felt like I didn't have much to live for but now I can honestly say the Copper Heelers have been a life saver. The apparent healing powers of copper were first pioneered by the ancient Greeks who used copper bracelets to ease aches and pains (the insoles claim to contain 14 times more copper than bracelets). Copper Heelers are said to contain 14 times more copper than the bracelet. Copper is an essential mineral in the body and is thought to keep blood vessels, the immune system and bones healthy. The Arthritis Foundation reports there is no scientific research to prove the effectiveness from copper bracelets. However it also says there is scant research to prove there are no benefits.