View Full Version : Need knee Surgery -- AT or PCT?
Looks like I have a torn medial meniscus and some cartilidge wear, both knees. Surgery is forthcoming. I had been planning an AT thru hike. I have done some sections, including 100 miles of Vermont in one trip so I know the rough type of terrain.
My question is if I should consider trying the PCT first since from what I understand not only is the grade not as bad as the AT, but the trail itselfs is generally not as rough too. I'd rather try whichever would be less stress on the knees after surgery I guess.
Any advice is welcome. Thanks!
The PCT would be easier on the knees than the AT. Note that I said "easier." Not easy.
My daughter had knee surgery in March and we just hiked 12 days on the JMT/PCT. She did fine.
Good luck.
Blissful
08-15-2008, 15:05
Hope the surgey goes well and you recover quickly. Take care.
Good luck with the surgery...
As far as hiking, the PCT will be a lot easier on your knees. However, it tends to be harder on the feet and ankles... more miles per day, more regular walking (not nearly as much variation of speed, tempo, etc), and faster pace generally lead to reptative stress injuries more easily. Just train your feet/ankles for that beforehand to help avoid and of those problems.
I've been told the PCT is easier on the knees. The JMT surely was easier than the AT on mine. However, I think that keeping body weight and pack weight down are the most important things to do for our knees. (The body weight thing really pisses me off--I love to eat!)
It honestly depends on your specific situation but meniscus repair is so minimally invasive now that you should be fully recovered in no time. For example, after my last scope I returned to competitive athletics 10 days after the surgery.
Really its hard to say which is going to be easier on the knees. While the AT does have the constant steep ups and downs, on the PCT you will need to make longer days and many more miles per day. On the AT, the hiking season is longer so you can take more days to rest your knees and heal up. The short season for thru hiking the PCT means you really have to pick em up and put em down with way fewer zero days to rest. We can all sit at our computer and give you advise, but only you know what you are capable of. Regardless of which trail you choose, there will be good days and bad days. You'll have a great time on either adventure. Have a great time my friend. You won't regret your choice either way.
As others have said, the PCT is easier, but with the miles you do everyday, your body will be just as spent at day's end. Knee problems or not, PCT is the way to go.
Thanks guys, this is good advice!
fiddlehead
08-15-2008, 21:56
However, I think that keeping body weight and pack weight down are the most important things to do for our knees.
I agree totally with Marta's statement here.
I always see people on the AT quitting because of knee and ankle injuries.
I think many of them are because of the size and weight of their pack
I remember a few people quitting on the PCT but not because of packweight. One guy had an infected tooth, another just said it wasn't his thing.
The drop out rate on the PCT is much less. I believe a lot of that is because it is graded MUCH easier than the AT. and also because the average person who starts a thru on the PCT has more experience (and knows what he or she is getting into) than the average starter on the AT.
Keep packweight down. Work out on some mountains or at least a step machine before you go. Don't push it. (but don't quit at the first signs of pain)
I can handle up and down and big miles, the thing I wonder is how much of PCT is like say the first ten miles of New Jersey going north, for instance (I have not hiked in PA).
ra_alexander
08-24-2008, 22:50
The drop out rate on the PCT is much less. I believe a lot of that is because it is graded MUCH easier than the AT. and also because the average person who starts a thru on the PCT has more experience (and knows what he or she is getting into) than the average starter on the AT.
I agree. I estimated 90%+ had at least one thru-hile under their belt before starting a PCT thru-hike.
Bare Bear
08-25-2008, 00:23
I have only done 1000 miles on the PCT but it was much easier than the the AT except the Shannys.