View Full Version : How Long Do Sore Knees Stay Sore
billdetzner
11-19-2016, 15:18
I recently completed a thru hike of the AT Three weeks later, I still have trouble bending my left knee, and when I do, I have pains in my shin. Does this go away? Are their exercises I can do to heal my leg? I did not fall, so that can't be the cause of my injury.
Puddlefish
11-19-2016, 18:04
I recently completed a thru hike of the AT Three weeks later, I still have trouble bending my left knee, and when I do, I have pains in my shin. Does this go away? Are their exercises I can do to heal my leg? I did not fall, so that can't be the cause of my injury.
I have a crap memory, but after I tore my MCL on the trail it took maybe 4 months before I regained 90% of my knee range. Three weeks is nothing. There are lots of things that can go wrong with your knees and shins through repetitive use. Ice and ibuprofen will knock down the inflammation and pain, but... more recent studies have show that your body uses inflammation as a way to signal your body to heal ligament damage, so putting up with the pain while healing might be better for you. Really gentle stretching, rest, time.
Then there's the see a doctor and don't rely on goofs like me on the internet advice.
Definitely worth a trip to an orthopedist, if nothing else to get a clean bill of health following your hike. Puddlefish is correct - I was amazed how long it took me to recover from an MCL sprain. Give it time.
rocketsocks
11-19-2016, 20:36
Long time, and re-injury is likely if ya push it to soon, least that's how it went for me.
Three weeks is not much for that sort of injury, but I agree that you should see a professional.
JLorenzo77
11-20-2016, 09:47
You should see a doctor. Knees are nothing to mess with.
Old Hiker
11-20-2016, 12:16
I had knee pains and pains in my right heel for 4 weeks after my thru. You need to see a specialist.
Podiatrist said I had plantar fasciitis in my RIGHT foot now instead of just my left. Right arch fell and was causing problems, plus (not bragging - just what he said) my calves were so strong they were pulling my toes down and throwing the balance of all the tendons, muscles and ligaments off.
Stretching exercises, new Rx insoles and a boot over my right leg to stretch everything has helped a lot. I can actually walk DOWN the stairs now without a lot of pain and the stiffness is gradually going away.
Patience and work at it a little at a time, just like the hike.
Secondmouse
11-20-2016, 14:06
I recently completed a thru hike of the AT Three weeks later, I still have trouble bending my left knee, and when I do, I have pains in my shin. Does this go away? Are their exercises I can do to heal my leg? I did not fall, so that can't be the cause of my injury.
your symptoms makes me think repetitive motion rather than trauma. you don't say how far down your shin but the patellar tendon, which uses the quad muscles to extend the lower leg attach fairly high on the shin below the knee.
you could have patellar tracking problems which would show up as you are experiencing or simple inflammation. whatever you do you should consult an orthopedist. and in the meantime use the acronym RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation...
Medical advice on the internet is sketchy...at best.
For instance I am going to suggest that your knees will feel fine once you deliver the baby :-)
Theoretically, the sore will go away some day, while it depends on your age, and your health condition. I am in my twenties, and after my first hiking I felt my knees in pain too. And it took me 2 weeks for recovery.
If the sore keeps on after a month, then a visit to doctor would be a must.
rocketsocks
11-20-2016, 23:54
Medical advice on the internet is sketchy...at best.
thats not what my doctor calls it :D
Do a google search for common knee and shin injuries and see if one of them seems to fit what you have. Last year I fell because my dog yanked me out of my tent and my feet got caught on the lip of my tent. I went down like a sack of potatoes and broke a rib and tore my rotator cuff. Now most people would probably go to a doctor for this, but after I did some reading about both of these on the internet I learned that they don't do anything for a broken rib anymore...they don't even tape it due to the risk of lung infection. I also learned that for a torn rotator cuff the doc is going to say "lets wait 6 months and see if this heals on its own." Within 6 weeks my rib had healed. After about 10 days my arm was hurting a lot less and only hurt if I moved it beyond a certain area...so I began exercising the arm just at the edge of that area 10 times a day...the range of movement without pain gradually expanded until after about 5 months it was 95% of where it was before the fall. The only difference now is flexibility...I used to be able to reach around to the center of my back but now I can't quite reach as far as I used to.