Bad knee

[truthisnature]

I have fallen in love with hiking but am starting with knee issues which are getting worse. Have pain behind the knee which sometimes comes around the inside to the front. Anyone else have this issue? Would a knee brace of some kind help with this? Refuse to stop hiking but have been forced to take it easy as of late.

[Hammock Hanger]

I have fallen in love with hiking but am starting with knee issues which are getting worse. Have pain behind the knee which sometimes comes around the inside to the front. Anyone else have this issue? Would a knee brace of some kind help with this? Refuse to stop hiking but have been forced to take it easy as of late.

Not sure what your issue maybe. It wouldn't hurt to have an MRI that can rule out any tears.

Knee issues took me off the trail last year and for the first time in 8 years I am NOT on the trail.

My issue turned out to be bones spurs that developed from damage and overuse while banging on down the trail. My doctor got me a lift for my shoe that has changed the pressure I put on the inner knee and distributes it more to the outside. I have had cortisone injections that have helped (a little). I take anti-inflammatories twice a day. (I had to change prescriptions 3 times before I found one that gave me some relief.)

I am now being evaluated for Synvisc Injections. (www.synvisc.com)

Hopefully all will be well come September when I leave for my trek across Spain.

Hope you are able to get your knee in check and back on the trail soon. Sue

[Appalachian Tater]

Yes, you would be wise to find out what the problem is from a health care professional. It may be that exercises can improve or eliminate the condition. You could probably Google up some good knee exercises once you're cleared to do them. Strengthening the muscles around a joint can make a huge difference.

[Pedaling Fool]

Yes, you would be wise to find out what the problem is from a health care professional. It may be that exercises can improve or eliminate the condition. You could probably Google up some good knee exercises once you're cleared to do them. Strengthening the muscles around a joint can make a huge difference.

I agree with that, but would emphasis the importance of sensible weight training (not super-heavy weightlifting). I used to have (~10 years ago) a really bad right knee. I went to the doc and he said there was basically nothing, short of anti-inflammatory medication, that could be done. And if it got really bad then the only option would be surgery. I checked around and heard how some people had had luck with weight training. Long story short, today my knee feels 1000% better.

P.S. I never take Advil or similar medication. If I feel joint pain I just take it easy until it get better, which usually doesn't take too long.

[kyhiker1]

I slipped and fell 2yrs ago on ice while hiking a rather steep trail near my home.As I feel,my right knee twisted but my foot did not.This was rather painful and I barely made it off the trail.An MRI concluded stretched and torn ligaments.2yrs later I stiill have some tenderness and wear a brace when hiking.Some light weightlifting,high protein diet,a good dietary supplement of Glucosamine and Chondroitin has helped me get back on the trail in flying colors.It took me around 6-8months to get back on the trail and feel comfortable after the accident.
I would recommend an MRI and go from there.

[Bearpaw88]

I am now being evaluated for Synvisc Injections. (www.synvisc.com)

I went to a sports medicine Dr. for about the same problem. I had pain in the back of the knee and a pressure in the middle of the knee. It took a long time to get it figured out. The problem was a combination of "flatish" feet and bad natural alignment of the hips and knees. I went through P.T., custom insoles, and had the synvisc injections. However, when I started the AT I had severe knee pain in the beginning. I got dual action Cho-Pat braces for bot knees at Neels Gap. I hiked with them for 150 miles then I no longer needed them and have hardly any pain while hiking now.
It's probably best to consult a good sports Dr.
Best of luck.

[Pedaling Fool]

I slipped and fell 2yrs ago on ice while hiking a rather steep trail near my home.As I feel,my right knee twisted but my foot did not.This was rather painful and I barely made it off the trail.An MRI concluded stretched and torn ligaments.2yrs later I stiill have some tenderness and wear a brace when hiking.Some light weightlifting,high protein diet,a good dietary supplement of Glucosamine and Chondroitin has helped me get back on the trail in flying colors.It took me around 6-8months to get back on the trail and feel comfortable after the accident.
I would recommend an MRI and go from there.

I suffered a similar injury to my shoulder, it took forever to heal. Weightlifting was key, no heavy stuff and not just the simple common stuff like bench press, curls... must also do things that work the muscles, tendons/legiments in a wide range of motions.

[take-a-knee]

I suffered a similar injury to my shoulder, it took forever to heal. Weightlifting was key, no heavy stuff and not just the simple common stuff like bench press, curls... must also do things that work the muscles, tendons/legiments in a wide range of motions.

Yes, by all means start with light weights but as you get stronger, increase the weight. You are also on the money about doing exercises that don't isolate muscle groups, it is best to do exercises that involve at least two joints (squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses etc.) Olympic weightlifters have an extremely low injury rate, one of the lowest in any sport, and they do explosive movements with heavy weights.

[truthisnature]

Thanks for all the helpful advise. I'll have to find a good Sports Doc and see what is up. Taking it easy hasn't proven to do much to improve the pain, so I think strengthening the muscles around the knee is a good way to go. Hike On!!!

[highway]

I left the trail at Hot Springs this year, only because of knee problems, but i suspect it was the 8 mile down into Newfound Gap which really did them in. I had absolutely no pain going uphill or on level ground but the pain became quite intense on the downhills and the left knee swelled up like a huge melon by the time I arrived in Hot Springs. I considered walking on but felt I might be doing irreversible damage if I did so, I guess, I chickened out and came home.

My problem (after the doc read the X-rays) was that the rubbing surfaces behind my knee caps, especially the left, was no longer smooth and at least one had become rough and the wear upon them irritated them. Because it was on the downhills, the doc suggested I build up my quadriceps leg muscles, the ones that attach to the top of the knee cap and runs straight up the front of my leg. He feels that if I do this, the stronger muscle will lift the knee cap up so as to alleviate my problem, and I can continue hiking at some later date, but not now. It sounds peculiar but i am resolved to try it. Heck I'll try anything at this point. But the key, as others have said, is to see just what YOUR knee problem is, and that means seeing your health care person first for that determination.

I have been against them for years, preferring only using a single staff, but I am beginning to wonder if just perhaps using two of those trendy, skinny hiking poles just might have taken enough weight off my kneecaps on the downhills to have allowed me to have continued on further.

Further, I wonder if there is any factual info or studies on the advantages of a two-pole use for hiking other than just two-pole user's opinions opinion.

[Undershaft]

The only thing a brace will do is ease the pain and allow you to keep hiking on it. A brace will not solve the underlying problem, it will still be there and will still hurt when you take the knee brace off. See a Doctor about what is wrong. If you keep hiking with a brace, you may do permenent damage.

[c.coyle]

I have fallen in love with hiking but am starting with knee issues which are getting worse. Have pain behind the knee which sometimes comes around the inside to the front. Anyone else have this issue? Would a knee brace of some kind help with this? Refuse to stop hiking but have been forced to take it easy as of late.

My two cents: Get a workup and diagnosis from an orthopedic surgeon who has a solid background in sports medicine. There are several in Lancaster, and more in the Reading / Harrisburg area.

When it comes to knees, there are so many possibilities that self-treating may at best result in wasted time. At worst, it may result in hurting yourself more.

I hope it's just a little arthritis. If it is, glucosamine / chondroitin works for about 50% of the people who try it, according to my doctor. It seems to work for me.

[sherrill]

My two cents: Get a workup and diagnosis from an orthopedic surgeon who has a solid background in sports medicine. There are several in Lancaster, and more in the Reading / Harrisburg area.

When it comes to knees, there are so many possibilities that self-treating may at best result in wasted time. At worst, it may result in hurting yourself more.

I hope it's just a little arthritis. If it is, glucosamine / chondroitin works for about 50% of the people who try it, according to my doctor. It seems to work for me.

I second this advice.

My wife and I hiked in the Standing Indian area in March, partially to prepare for a trip to Machu Picchu. Coming down from Standing Indian she could barely walk. Naturally she was freaked out with such a big trip around the corner.

A trip to the ortho doc had her going to PT. Turns out it was not in the knee at all, but that one leg was weaker than the other and she was overcompensating with the hip in the weaker leg.

The PT has given her exercises to strengthen her leg, so far we have been able to go on dayhikes of 6-7 miles with no problems.

So I would definitely recommend going to a good ortho doc.

Good luck.

[DesertMTB]

I have fallen in love with hiking but am starting with knee issues which are getting worse. Have pain behind the knee which sometimes comes around the inside to the front. Anyone else have this issue? Would a knee brace of some kind help with this? Refuse to stop hiking but have been forced to take it easy as of late.

Hey! I am 38 as well and just started noticing the same pain in my right knee. A few months ago I started getting a cracking sound in my knee when I mountain biked. Sucks to start getting old!

[Cookerhiker]

My knee problems began with my first backpacking trip for which I was out-of-shape and ill-prepared. The downhills killed both of my knees. That was back in 1977.

Over the years the knees would hurt on downhills especially in humid weather and also while jogging which I've since stopped. Since I never hiked more than 50 miles, I was able to live with it. Finally went to an orthopedic doctor about 5 years ago. The only problem was inflamation for which I'd take ibuprofin and confine my hikes to short distances. Also started - and still take regularly - glucosomine/chondroiton. Conditioningwise, my choice is uphill cycling on the Great Allegheny Passage with indoor workouts on the ellipitical in cold or rainy weather.

Upon retiring 5 years ago and wanting to hike longer distances, I began using trekking poles and I felt they made a tremendous difference. No way I could have hiked my 700 AT miles in '05 - which included all of Maine - without poles. I'm a believer!

I agree with others that a visit to a sports-oriented otho is worthwhile. Hope your problem isn't too serious and you can hike all you want.

[Cabin Fever]

I am only 24, but 10+ years of football and 10 years of being a catcher in baseball has done some serious work on my knees.

When I started hiking, I refused to use the fancy poles. My knees were always sore after trips. I borrowed a friends' poles once to try out and never looked back. No more sore knees.

I'll second, third, fourth the weight training. Being physically healthy is a two part recipe - putting the right things in your body, training your body properly. A good weight training routine amplifies good eating habits siginificantly.

[Short Term]

I just cut short a 36 mile section hike between Davenport Gap and Hot Springs due to my 15 years old son's knee pain. He hurt partially tore his left ACL, and stretched his MCL in a high school wrestling match back in late February. His knee cap dislocated and ended up on the side of his leg. He didn't need surgery just PT. This was his first trip since then. He wore his knee brace, but because he had been overcompensating with his right leg this was the knee that gave him the most trouble. We stopped at Max Patch, he couldn't have the descent into Hot Springs. Bad knees happen at any age! We plan on more weight training and have another trip planned in a few months. We started section hiking from Springer when he was about 10 years old, so not much stops him!

[Plodderman]

Most of the time when my knees have hurt I was either breaking in or using shoes that where worn out. Also I have experieced some poblems with hiking with people who hike faster than me and the faster pace or wider step caused my knee to over extend.

Anyways after two knee surgeries I have been pain free for about ten years as I try to concentrate only on hiking on trails and staying off pavement.

Good luck on your hike and the knee pain clearing up.

[Blissful]

Building up your thigh muscles (the quads and hams together, not one over the other) to help your kneecap track correctly sounds logical to me. Might look into Physical Therapy also. I still take glucosomine twice a day.

Two poles helped me quite a bit as I suffered with knee pain off and on throughout the hike. That downhill into Davenport Gap (I think that's the gap you mean) is long and it hurt me too.

[highway]

Building up your thigh muscles (the quads and hams together, not one over the other) to help your kneecap track correctly sounds logical to me. Might look into Physical Therapy also. I still take glucosomine twice a day.

Two poles helped me quite a bit as I suffered with knee pain off and on throughout the hike. That downhill into Davenport Gap (I think that's the gap you mean) is long and it hurt me too.

You are right as davenport it was. I erred...but after a while all the gaps become jumbled. but that wicked, rocky, downhill is still vividly locked into my memory.