knee pain

[Mitey Mo]

I want to add to this. I have the same problem. Strong muscles help but so does LOTS of ibuprofen. I also found that pointing my toe to the outside when I took that downhill step eliminated any pain. Shuffling sideways on the downhills when the path is safe also helps.

[leatherwheels]

The problem in Va Beach is there are no hills, and I can't simulate going downhill on a treadmill unfortunately.

One thing you may try is running/walking up and down stairs to simulate the ups and downs of hills. An option I've used is going to the local high school and walking or running up and down the stadium bleacher stairs repeatedly. Could even do this wearing a loaded pack when you feel stronger. Another thing I've started to do is try to always use the stairs at work. I work on the third floor and fluctuate regularly throughout the day between the 1st four floors depending on the task at hand. Not a huge gain in elevation but I think doing this throughout the day has helped somewhat.

The rest of my immediate family live in Virginia Beach, me - not so lucky. Definitely not many hills. Maybe walk up and down Mt. Trashmore depending on how close you live to it? Never done it myself but driving by it looks like a fairly tall and steep grade.

[shakey_snake]

Stretch more. If your achilles' are too tight, your knees are going to take the brunt of it.

Fun test: outside of lazy western, chair sitting cultures, people just pop a squat where ever they want. The key to squatting comfortably is being able to keep your heels on the ground while doing so. Most western people (myself included!) have poor ankle dorsiflexion and therefore can't do that.

[Namtrag]

One thing you may try is running/walking up and down stairs to simulate the ups and downs of hills. An option I've used is going to the local high school and walking or running up and down the stadium bleacher stairs repeatedly. Could even do this wearing a loaded pack when you feel stronger. Another thing I've started to do is try to always use the stairs at work. I work on the third floor and fluctuate regularly throughout the day between the 1st four floors depending on the task at hand. Not a huge gain in elevation but I think doing this throughout the day has helped somewhat.

The rest of my immediate family live in Virginia Beach, me - not so lucky. Definitely not many hills. Maybe walk up and down Mt. Trashmore depending on how close you live to it? Never done it myself but driving by it looks like a fairly tall and steep grade.

It's a ways to Mt Trashmore, but not too bad. Might be able to do it on weekends. And the stair idea is great. I am in a 3 story building and it wouldn't be too hard to go down and up the two separate 3 story stairwells a few times a day...thanks for the suggestion!

[Namtrag]

Stretch more. If your achilles' are too tight, your knees are going to take the brunt of it.

Fun test: outside of lazy western, chair sitting cultures, people just pop a squat where ever they want. The key to squatting comfortably is being able to keep your heels on the ground while doing so. Most western people (myself included!) have poor ankle dorsiflexion and therefore can't do that.

No achilles pain at all (knock on wood!)

That squatting thing is true of almost everyone. In fact you will see bodybuilders put a 2x4 under their heels (Arnold made this famous) when they do squats.

I just stood up and did the test and it was pretty easy for me to squat down without lifting my heels. It didn't feel great, and I am not sure how long I could hold it, but at least I could do it!

You see little kids do it all the time. Instead of going on their knees to look at stuff on the ground, they just squat down.

[Old_Man]

Just to add my two cents, I've suffered from knee issues for a few years, mostly from not knowing how to run when I was younger. I can still remember my first time on the approach trail at Amicalola, coming down those steps by the waterfall, my knees were screaming. It didn't help that I was severely dehydrated, carrying way too much weight, and a little out of shape. I'm still in my twenties and I felt like an eighty year old man. I love to hike and run and bike so I knew I had to do something to cut down on the pain. I do squats all the time, I work on my balance and posture, I always stretch before doing any sort of exercise (but not a lot of stretching because I've found that that can have the opposite intended effect). I also realized that I over pronated my gait. I got better shoes and started really trying to focus on how my legs work when I'm using them in high exercise situations, including making sure that my knees are tracking the way they're suppose to. I've had several people tell me I look taller recently and I've had to tell them it's because I'm making a concerted effort to improve my posture. I've noticed that my knees and legs in general feel much stronger now and instead of feeling in pain after a jog or long hike, I actually feel good and my muscles feel strong.

[soul patch]

I experience the same pain on the outside of my left knee, only on steep down hills, even while using hiking poles. I found that a an elastic strap placed just below the knee around the IT band solved the problem, if i start with it it doesn't act up, even if i forget and put it on after i feel the first twinge of pain it still seems to hold the band in place and makes it bearable. my 0.02 cents.

[Josh Calhoun]

i had the same problem and had to wear full knee braces from mile 30 until Katahdin. I still hurt going down hill without them on. get you some good knee braces and it should fix you right up

[Sara]

I'm one month into my thruhike and I had knee pain for the first couple weeks. Now my knees feel okay so I guess my body has adapted!


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[Namtrag]

Thanks everyone for all the useful tips, and it sounds like it is not necessarily a problem only for the elderly such as myself lol. It probably would have been wiser to choose a flatter first trip of the season as well.

[Pedaling Fool]

I do think we underuse our bodies, and particularly our connective tissues in our sedentary lives.

The thing is most people blame our modern lifestyle for living a sedentary lifestyle and while there is some truth in that it's important to understand that one must not blame society for all one's problems that stem from a sedentary lifestyle, yet people continue to do just that.

In other words, it's a choice for you and most people make a choice to be sedentary; you can't tell me that the bottom graph is so disproportionately tilted towards car driving because of infrastructure or any other cause; it's because people choose to be lazy. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...-bikes/361939/

I hear this infrastucture-crutch so often and it's total BS. Anyone that underuses their body has made a choice, period.

[Marta]

The thing is most people blame our modern lifestyle for living a sedentary lifestyle and while there is some truth in that it's important to understand that one must not blame society for all one's problems that stem from a sedentary lifestyle, yet people continue to do just that.

In other words, it's a choice for you and most people make a choice to be sedentary; you can't tell me that the bottom graph is so disproportionately tilted towards car driving because of infrastructure or any other cause; it's because people choose to be lazy. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...-bikes/361939/

I hear this infrastucture-crutch so often and it's total BS. Anyone that underuses their body has made a choice, period.

I only agree with this up to a point. I suppose I could have chosen to be a stone mason instead of an office manager, but an office manager is what my skills and temperament have led me to be. There are a great many jobs like this, where physical activity is quite limited. I get out and about during my non-working hours, but I suspect that the sedentary time takes its toll by making me more prone to injury when I do start moving.

Quite a different situation than people who are drawing water from wells and gathering stove fuel…or hiking all day every day.

[Namtrag]

Just sitting in one position 7-8 hours per day has got to have some effect, even if you run 10 miles a day before work.

[squeezebox]

Would elastic knee high stockings help. They help a lot with supporting the calf muscles. which I would guess would affect the knee.
At $40 a pair kinda pricy. Double use sock liners.

[Nick P]

Would Ketamine Hydrochloride cream ("Dual K" or "Activemax") help? Long distance runners use it for rehabbing connective tissue in their knees? Anyone here familiar?

[MuddyWaters]

DMSO , be sure you know what to do with it.

[Pedaling Fool]

I only agree with this up to a point. I suppose I could have chosen to be a stone mason instead of an office manager, but an office manager is what my skills and temperament have led me to be. There are a great many jobs like this, where physical activity is quite limited. I get out and about during my non-working hours, but I suspect that the sedentary time takes its toll by making me more prone to injury when I do start moving.

Quite a different situation than people who are drawing water from wells and gathering stove fuel…or hiking all day every day.

Just sitting in one position 7-8 hours per day has got to have some effect, even if you run 10 miles a day before work.

I agree all I was saying was that too many people use a crutch for their issues or actions. That's not to say they don't have challenges.

[Namtrag]

Totally agree, most people find an excuse not to be active!

[Marta]

I agree all I was saying was that too many people use a crutch for their issues or actions. That's not to say they don't have challenges.

I agree with that wholeheartedly. My standard line with coworkers who say they don't have time to exercise (after having told me about various TV shows they've watched): If you had time to watch TV, you had time to exercise.

[warld piece]

I read your problems and sounds like my exact problem. Lower outside knee pain only on strenuous downhills. Aleve did nothing for me, but ibuprofen regularly relieved inflammation. I bought knee wrap w/ hinges and switched from knee to knee depending on how each knee felt during day, after a few days on trail my knees don't hurt. Use stairs or bleachers for exercises at beach where hills are lacking. Best of luck.