Training for longer hike, specifically for knees

[aracauna]

I'm hoping to hike the Georgia section of the AT late this spring and I know I need to improve my fitness to meet some of the goals I've set myself. This past Thanksgiving, I hiked a section of the Benton MacKaye, camping at Bryson Gap, and on the way out the second day developed a bit of knee pain. It was like extreme muscle soreness on the outside of my right knee. From my description, my occupational therapist and doctor-resident boyfriend thought I had an overworked tendon (I forgot the specific one they mentioned). I actually managed 10 miles on it on the Len Foote trail three days later and aggravated it after it had started to clear up. A month later, I was doing a 4-mile day hike at a state park and it started to flare up again, but didn't get bad enough to cause problems.

Anyway, I'm planning on be on the trail for 7 days at least and I know that's a fairly rough section. I found out from that state park hike that what causes it is inclines and, worse, declines on uneven terrain. I can climb stairs all day.

What are some excercises I can do to help strengthen the stabilizer muscles in my knee? I've bought trekking poles, so I expect that to help, and I may buy some sort of knee brace before heading out, but I'd really prefer to work on some prevention if possible.

I actually coach high school tennis and I actually do a good bit of playing with my team during practice while the other coach teaches strategy, so those muscles are getting a lot of use right now from the sudden side-to-side and forward sudden stops and starts of tennis, but I think something more focused may provide me more benefit, especially later in the season when I spend less time with a raquet and when the season ends.

[warraghiyagey]

Exercising and stretching well are great, but the Glucosamine regimen is magical if knee pain is an issue. . .:sun

[Trail Bug]

I injured my knee last October and it hurt on several trips. I recently bought a Cho-Pat brace and have not had any more problems when wearing the brace.

[hoz]

This one strengthens the knee. Fill a sock with lead shot, or tie a 5 lb barbell to a nylon sling and attach that to your ankle. Or just buy an ankle weight.

Place on ankle, sit in a chair and extend your leg 10 times. Do both legs. Repeat building reps as the days go by.

You're a tennis coach and don't know any knee exercises?

[burger]

You probably have a tight iliotibial band (ITB), which is impinging on the outside of your knee. I've had this a number of times, and it's easily treatable with a few simple exercises.

First, stretch your ITB a few times a day. http://www.floota.com/itb_stretch.html

Second, do this exercise religously. I get immediate relief when I do this. http://mis_nomer.blogspot.com/2006/10/walt-reynolds-itb-special.html

Finally, use a foam roller to mechanically stretch your itb. http://askcoachjenny.runnersworld.com/2008/09/got-foam.html

If you have access to a gym, working your hip abductors may help, too. Good luck.

[aracauna]

You're a tennis coach and don't know any knee exercises?

It's a small town in a rural area. I played tennis in high school and was good enough to start at doubles on a team that made the state final four, which makes me one of the most experienced coaches in the region, but I've had no formal training beyond a few years of tennis lessons as a kid. I've never played or coached at a level where we focused on specific-body conditioning.

[aracauna]

You probably have a tight iliotibial band (ITB), which is impinging on the outside of your knee. I've had this a number of times, and it's easily treatable with a few simple exercises.

This may have been what my sister told me it was. The description I looked up seemed accurate. I'll try these. I don't think they'd hurt, anyway.

[aracauna]

Actually, that's not what she said. She said it was likely a lateral collateral ligament problem. She may have gone that direction because I had my knee give way a couple of times on the 10-mile hike after the problem showed up.

[hoz]

It's a small town in a rural area. I've never played or coached at a level where we focused on specific-body conditioning.

No insult intended. My wife and I met on the courts. We wound up doubles partners for life. Her son was state ranked and won the HS state doubles championships.

Of course, we all took lessons and often this included some type of physical conditioning. Tennis is hard on the knees and I just couldn't understand a coach not having a set of exercises for them.

Best of luck with your team and your hike!

[Spirit Walker]

Try: straight leg leg lifts, side lifts and inner thigh raises. All will help strenthen the various muscles around the knee. One problem thruhikers have is that the quads get very strong while the other muscles may get less developed. It can affect the way your knee tracks.

[stag3]

Exercising and stretching well are great, but the Glucosamine regimen is magical if knee pain is an issue. . .:sun

I have the same experience with glucosamine. I asked several doctors about the benefits of glucosaamine and they all had only positive comments. As far as I can tell, there are no side effects from glucosamine. I get mine at walmart.
Stag3

[pyroman53]

My experience is to work out any way you can in the gym year round(which helps a little), but, the only way to get in shape for hiking is to hike. Thus, I find a nice 1500 foot climb up some mountainside, and hike up and down that trail twice a week for 6 weeks or so before the official hike. Usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours each time. After a few tries, I add my pack with trail weight. The key is the uneven footing and the stress of hiking the mounain which is very hard to create in the gym.

Another exercise I like is to stand on one foot for a LONG time (as long as I can). It'll burn, and you'll tire, but it strengthens the stabilizer muscles in the knees. This is easy to do anytime (standing in a checkout line at the store, waiting for the bus, etc) and it might help you pass your next field sobriety test as well.:banana

[Chenango]

My experience is to work out any way you can in the gym year round(which helps a little), but, the only way to get in shape for hiking is to hike. Thus, I find a nice 1500 foot climb up some mountainside, and hike up and down that trail twice a week for 6 weeks or so before the official hike. Usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours each time. After a few tries, I add my pack with trail weight. The key is the uneven footing and the stress of hiking the mounain which is very hard to create in the gym.

Another exercise I like is to stand on one foot for a LONG time (as long as I can). It'll burn, and you'll tire, but it strengthens the stabilizer muscles in the knees. This is easy to do anytime (standing in a checkout line at the store, waiting for the bus, etc) and it might help you pass your next field sobriety test as well.:banana
I thought I was the only one who likes to stand on one foot. Well maybe "like" is too strong a word. I have also found that this really helps strengthens the knees. This really works.

[amac]

I have had horrible knees ever since I started all that running on pavement the Army loves so much. Last year, it progressed to constant paid. I decided to get knee surgery. My doc said no way, not bad enough and sent me to a physical therapist. I figured I'd humor her. Within 2 months my nightly pain was gone, I was finally able to do normal things again, like ride a bike, climb ladders, kneel on the floor, sit in a cramped movie theater, and most importantly HIKE with a backpack.
If you can, get yourself to a physical therapist.

[take-a-knee]

You probably have a tight iliotibial band (ITB), which is impinging on the outside of your knee. I've had this a number of times, and it's easily treatable with a few simple exercises.

First, stretch your ITB a few times a day. http://www.floota.com/itb_stretch.html

Second, do this exercise religously. I get immediate relief when I do this. http://mis_nomer.blogspot.com/2006/10/walt-reynolds-itb-special.html

Finally, use a foam roller to mechanically stretch your itb. http://askcoachjenny.runnersworld.com/2008/09/got-foam.html

If you have access to a gym, working your hip abductors may help, too. Good luck.

BINGO! Though I would add proper squats:

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_AirSquats.mov

Body weight first until the mechanics are sound, then add weight.

Also bodyweight lunges will strengthen your knees.

[Plodderman]

I have had some knee pain in the past and now even on long hikes I do a dozen or so knee bends after hiking for an hour.

[Blissful]

aracauna, Sounds like the ITB - illiotibial band syndrome - if its on the outside of the knee. I had problems with that on my hike until the band built up. It's common. There are stretches you can do for it. Look it up on the Internet.

[aracauna]

Thus, I find a nice 1500 foot climb up some mountainside, and hike up and down that trail twice a week for 6 weeks or so before the official hike. Usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours each time. After a few tries, I add my pack with trail weight. The key is the uneven footing and the stress of hiking the mounain which is very hard to create in the gym.

I'm at a serious disadvantage on this part. The nearest thing to a hill is a 4-hour trip away and in my part of Georgia I'd either have to trailblaze through private property or use the same 1-mile trail at a state park 30 minutes away. There are a lot of great natural areas near me (Okefenokee Swamp and the Georgia coast), but they're all unfriendly to hikers because of the frequency of swampy or marshy conditions. If I had a kayak or a canoe, it'd be awesome, though. There are a couple of decent-length hikes that aren't that far, but nothing close enough that I could do them on a regular basis.

I'll walk a path around the wood behind my house on a regular basis, and that's good for uneven footing, but we don't even have hills near us.

[Kerosene]

I thought I was the only one who likes to stand on one foot. Well maybe "like" is too strong a word. I have also found that this really helps strengthens the knees. This really works.It strengthens weak ankles, also. Once you get the hang of standing on one foot, try to close your eyes and position your raised leg forward, to the side, and to the rear of your standing leg.

[Surplusman]

I use glucosamine/chondroitin every day and it has worked wonders. I take 1/2 tablet in the a.m. and the other half in the evening.

I use two hiking poles and a knee brace when I hike.

Lastly, I follow regimens in Super Joints (especially) and Relax Into Stretch, both by the Evil Russian, Pavel Tsatsouline. Hint: I always get used copies of the books I need on Amazon. Way cheaper and many times the "Used" books look brand new.

Good Luck!

[Chenango]

It strengthens weak ankles, also. Once you get the hang of standing on one foot, try to close your eyes and position your raised leg forward, to the side, and to the rear of your standing leg.


I hold my leg behind me and slowly bend forward and touch the ground. I bend my knee while doing this. This takes a lot of balance. I have come to realize that balance is in large part having the proper muscles working for you!

Thanks for the "close the eyes" twist to standing on one leg. I will give that a try as well as raising my leg to different postions.