I'm only pretty sure that my thru-hike planning and thoughts are drifting farther away from the norm day by day... Does everyone get this obsessive before their hike or am I just bat ***** crazy?
Nevermind, don't answer that.
It seems that knee issues are a big problem for some people starting out NoBo. After a rather abusive life of contortion, high impact landings, and just bad habits, my knees just ain't what they were 20 years ago. I don't have problems with them daily, but once in awhile... Well, anyway, I've scheduled a visit with the Ortho to consult on some stuff, like soft supports or even braces if necessary. My wife is a runner and abuses her knees ruthlessly, and this guy is top notch at taking great care of her, so I have no doubt he'll be able to advise me.
But I'm wondering if many people wear braces or supports on their thru-hikes... If so, is it just in the beginning or all the way through? Are there other ways to prepare or condition my knees since Ohio doesn't have many mountains?
I'm sure hitting the trail will take many adjustments, but the elevation changes (until my body gets used to them) are a primary concern since I will be going from small changes here to larger ones in Georgia and beyond almost daily.
A visit to the Ortho might seem a little jackass obsessive to some people, but I'm trying to be as informed as I can - thus, giving myself the best shot possible.
Anyone with information or advice on prepping or maintaining knees for mountains or distance hiking, please share some of that info.
Thanks!
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P.S.
I know I ask a lot of dumb questions on here, but I just hate learning the hard way!