Knees

[hangman417]

I'm a 48 year old male 6'1 190lbs. I lift weights play racquetball and hike. Both my knees are starting to get a little sore after a 12 mile hike up by Sunfish Pond. Can any one recommend some sort of knee brace that has worked for them. Thanks

[nero]

Hangman:

I have knee problems myself. I use a simple neoprene (closed patella) brace that I picked up at a pharmacy for less than 20 bucks. However it doesn't help all that much. If you don't use hiking poles you should consider it. Hiking poles have helped my knees out more than any brace I've used.

-Nero

[tlbj6142]

Can any one recommend some sort of knee brace that has worked for them.Given your fitness level, it may not be a knee brace sort of problem. Have you tried taking Glucosomine (~2000mg per day)? I bought the cheapest stuff I could find at Sam's club ($10 for 250 500mg Glucosomine/500mg MSM tablets. I take 4 per day). It takes about 4-6 weeks before you'll notice any change, but it did help me quite a bit.

At first I thought it was all in my head, but I stopped taking it a month before my 3rd child was born (thinking I wouldn't be doin' any hiking in the following several months). Within 1-2 weeks, my knees and shoulders started to ache from "normal" use. I eventually got use to this soreness (either that or it went away).

I have since started taking it again as I have a trip planned next weekend and another in June.

[MedicineMan]

1. i know you dont want to but get into the medical system and get:
a. a MRI
b. ultrasound
This will tell if you have damage
2. If you have damage then seek the solution:
a. surgery
b. PT
3. If not damage and a condition like CP (Chondromalasia Patella) then you
will have to suck it up and deal with it:
a. braces, work for a small percentage
b. building excercises, you are already doing these arent you?
c. chemicals- glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM....all proven and established
as better than placebo by the FDA
d. USE POLES
e. limit weight carried
f. limit distances both in an effort to allow some downtime
4. Find a swimming pool
a. begin with just floating--any time in the water you are essentialy weightless and perfect setting for joint healing
b. progress to range of motion excersizes over 1-2weeks
5. watch the way you sit when at home and at work, crossing the legs in typical western fashion is bad, like the English do is far worse
6. note if you knees hurt when in plain uncrossed sitting position...'church pew knees'

All I can think of at the moment...

[hangman417]

I use polls already and have been taking Glucosomine. Has anybody tried the straps that go under your kneecap? Thanks guys.

[okpik]

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[Jaybird]

I'm a 48 year old male 6'1 190lbs. I lift weights play racquetball and hike. Both my knees are starting to get a little sore after a 12 mile hike up by Sunfish Pond. Can any one recommend some sort of knee brace that has worked for them. Thanks



Yo hangman417

i hit the "BIG 5-0" in a few days....& also have knee problems.
from most of my hiking buds (most with loads more miles than me!)..they tell me first & foremost....1)use 2 trek poles (i used to use a single pole)...2)use a knee brace(available @ outfitter stores, or Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc)...& if time allows, try 3)glucosomine tabs to lubricate the joints. (us 40+ hikers need all the help we can get!) ANd you might wanna take some 4)Motrin for the end of the day.

there are several examples of "knee problems" ending the hike (even for the "20-something crowd")...on this website!


if you've had surgery or other past injuries to the knees..you might wanna consult your doctor for some tests. :D

[Grampie]

Don't feel like you are alone. Many hikers have knee problems.
I first attempted a thru-hike in 2000. Got as far a Fontana Dam and had to leave the trail with severe knee pain.
I went home, went to the Doc. He took X-rays and an MRI. The results were, a slight stress fracture in one leg. He said the pain in my knees was caused by "over use."
I started takibg Glucosomine & Congroiten, and doing leg exercises, prescribed by a physical therapist, to strenthen my legs.
Started to thru-hike the next spring. I completed the AT without any further knee problems. I used trecking poles and would take an Advil, every morning and evening to prevent swelling.
It worked for me and i was 66 years old when I did my hike.

[Jersey Bob]

at least 10 characters

[tlbj6142]

A word of caution about knee braces. They mask the problem. They don't really "fix" it. If you need a knee brace, there is a good chance you should be doing PT.

Even if you "work out" the knees are easy to forget as most of the exercises that work the knee are rarely done.

[MedicineMan]

the point of orthotics is excellent....many have done well with Superfeet inserts, heel cups etc. I too use Superfeet and the first few days with them were unpleasant (sugar coating the unpleasant part!).
We were in the gym today (provided by my employer so do look into what your company offers) doing leg extensions and squats in preparation for Apple Orchard Mtn next week.....and something else to mention...Lone Wolf says pain is weekness leaving the body...he's right to a point, obviously the real extreme pain is the body announcement that something is wrong, but in having dealt also with planta fascitis sometimes you just have to suck it up and hit it, with chondromalacia patella same thing, it hurts but you have to keep going or you will end up like the tin-man in the Wizard of Oz!

[snuffleupagus]

I'm a 48 year old male 6'1 190lbs. I lift weights play racquetball and hike. Both my knees are starting to get a little sore after a 12 mile hike up by Sunfish Pond. Can any one recommend some sort of knee brace that has worked for them. ThanksI too have had knee pain for many years. I have also had more cartilage removed from my hinges than any person I know. The problems I've had in the past leave me with a lot of fluid build up. Cortizone use to be a God sent cure all, but the pain in recieving those darned injections got to be all I could handle. I've found in the past that a low impact, lower body exercise, is often helpful in keeping my knees lubricated, yet strong enough to remain athletic. Bike riding is now my favorite exercise for keeping the crunchy noises away for distinct periods of time, and also helps to reduce the swelling by tightening the ligaments surrounding my knees. I've tried all sorts of braces for both medial, and lateral support. I've even gone to arch supports and orthodic shoe inserts such as superfeet and The alzner effect(sp) inserts, which straighten and align all those crooked vertibrae. They have been helpful for short periods of time.
To be realistic, bicycling has been the only thing that has definately made any real progress with my knee pain. Along with Vitamin I. The problem is, Winter.... If you don't have access to a gym or a stationary bike during those few lazy winter month's, you must start all over during the first warming days of spring.
I guess as we all get older, things break. A little pmcs(preventive maintanance) goes a long way. It's the learning curve I can't get over. That and being a lazy slob.