Post Thru Hike Knee Pain

[rjhouser]

Quicksilver here, I just finished up my thru last week GA-ME. I've been having severe knee pain ever since. I tried to go for a run this morning for the first time since my hike and I got about 10 yards before the pain had me stopped. I never had problems with my knees on my thru until about northern VT and all through NH and ME. Not sure if this is something that will phase out with rest or if it's something I should get checked out... Has anybody else experienced a similar problem after their thru or have any idea what's going on?

Thank ya kindly

[scree]

If you can afford it see an orthopedist as soon as possible. There's little you can do on your own if your knee gets messed up.

[Pedaling Fool]

Did you do something or do you remember a specific event that brought on this knee pain?

This reminds me of when I first screwed up my knee; I didn't do anything special to cause the injury, nor do I remember a specific event that caused it. It just began during my first bicycling tour, it was a three-week/1,500 mile trip, much of it through the mountains and very hilly terrain; I wasn't much older than you. Much like your case it just started hurting and got worse and worse..., but of course, like in your case, I just kept going. And to make matters worse I kept riding after that ride, commuting to and from work, which was a 50-mile round trip.

I went to see the doc and he told me that, that was basically normal and one day I would probably need surgery. He recommended some type of anti-inflammatory and I left very unsatisfied. I eventually came across, from a friend, weightlifting. Weightlifting helps strengthen all the muscles and connective tissue in a way hiking (or cycling can't). Hiking is a repetitive action and it works certain parts of the body really well, but other parts are not worked too well and that leads to an imbalance of strength, not a good place to have an imbalance, since the knee is a major supporter of weight and also can receive a good amount of shock at times.

I suffered with this knee pain for years and years, but weightlifting really helped, I wished I would have started right after that trip


I still can feel whatever I did to that knee today, but I really have to push my self to get that feeling. I live an active life, I take NO anti-inflammatory drugs, and my active lifestyle includes running (don't listen to the crap about running being bad for the body due to impact).


Many will tell you to go to the doctor and don't listen to advice like mine and on one level they got a point, but in addition to seeing a doctor, the only one who can really fix your problem is you and it takes work. If running hurts that bad now, then don't do it, but look into various weightlifting techniques to strenghten the knee and slowly get back into running and hiking.

[rjhouser]

Tomorrow marks two weeks since I summited and I still can't run. If anything I think my knees might feel worse. I have been going to a gym and doing 30 minute spin cycling sessions but I'm not sure if they're helping or not at all. The knees definitely feel sore afterwards. Haven't been to see a doctor or anything yet. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

[jakedatc]

RJ I'm having a bit of that also after my Long Trail thru hike. I'm thinking it is a bit of patellar tendonitis. With all of the steep up and downhills of VT, NH and ME it puts a pretty big strain on you quads. while hiking every day you tend to loosen up and feel ok but once you are home and not doing as much on a daily basis then your muscles tighten up and get sore.

What I plan to do is keep riding as tolerated and try to stretch on a daily basis (after some kind of activity to warm up first). Ice when they hurt... #1 best thing to decrease any swelling. If you have access to a pool, swimming might be good too.

As an athletic trainer I find it is sometimes hard for me to treat myself but I am trying to do better with stretching and icing like i tell my athletes.

Good luck!

[Water Rat]

Tomorrow marks two weeks since I summited and I still can't run. If anything I think my knees might feel worse. I have been going to a gym and doing 30 minute spin cycling sessions but I'm not sure if they're helping or not at all. The knees definitely feel sore afterwards. Haven't been to see a doctor or anything yet. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

It might be a good idea to see a doctor. You are young...misdiagnosing the problem could lead to more problems on down the road. You just put your knees through a long hike. Yes, there is definitely a transition time while your knees adjust. But, if the pain is getting worse...or is not improving...then, it is probably time to see a doctor. The worst that could happen is that the doc tells you it is nothing. But, if you misdiagnose the issue...things could end up a whole lot worse. Better to be a bit cautious when it comes to knees.

[Creek Dancer]

If you don't recall a specific event that may have injured your knee, you might want to get tested for lyme disease.

[Pedaling Fool]

Tomorrow marks two weeks since I summited and I still can't run. If anything I think my knees might feel worse. I have been going to a gym and doing 30 minute spin cycling sessions but I'm not sure if they're helping or not at all. The knees definitely feel sore afterwards. Haven't been to see a doctor or anything yet. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

Well, if the knee is getting worse than there may be something wrong past just normal wear & Tear. Also what you're doing may actually be counter-productive. Many see cycling as good for the knee because it's "low-impact". However, some of my worst knee pains came about from cycling, some times it gets so bad that I have to take a break from cycling and running actually feels recuperative. Most knee pains, at least from my experience really has nothing to do with impact; it's all about injury from simple overuse in one area and underuse in another, along with flexibility/stretching.

If cycling isn't working, than switch to something else; play around with different activities untill you find something that works. Also, knowing from experience how bad thru-hikers diets can be, it's something to consider. We all know protien is good for the body, but you still need many other nutrients and with out them you body starts to breakdown and no amount of protien will fix that. Veggies are an important part of getting these nutrients http://www.bicycling.com/training-nu...getables_count

Lastly, Creek Dancer is correct, the Lyme disease question is a valid one. There are many symptoms to Lyme, but which symptoms one feel vary greatly and some don't even feel the symptoms or only experience one or two symptoms. And sore joints is a symptom.

[Don H]

I'd guess it took me a couple of months to get rid of the "hiker hobble", sore feet and knees, and walking hunched over like I still had a pack on! Even today, one year later can't stand walking in bare feet on the floor and I get sharp pains in an ankle that I injured. Just goes with the territory.

So where is the knee pain? Centered, under the knee cap, off to one side?

[Pedaling Fool]

I'd guess it took me a couple of months to get rid of the "hiker hobble", sore feet and knees, and walking hunched over like I still had a pack on! Even today, one year later can't stand walking in bare feet on the floor and I get sharp pains in an ankle that I injured. Just goes with the territory.

Same here, except the sharp pains were in my feet, not the ankles. I think it took nearly a year for my feet to get back to normal

[jakedatc]

Just goes with the territory.

Doesn't have to be... carrying a lighter load would help both of those conditions. I'm curious how many people that say "I carry __lbs just fine" think that after doing it for a few months.

[Don H]

Certainly going light or ultralight helps. hiking at a reasonable pace, using hiking poles and learning how to walk down hill also helps.
For me I think it had more to do with being old and overweight. By the time I got to Maine I had lost almost twice the weight of my pack. Theoretically I should have been floating down the trail

When I left Springer on March 13th my pack base weight with cold weather gear was 14.9 pounds.

[jakedatc]

Strange you were hunched over with such a reasonable baseweight. Trekking poles definitely help me and even on day hikes i don't leave without them.

[Chaco Taco]

I had the same for the first few months back. Ice and take it easy for a couple of days. Lots of stretching. If its really that bad, go to a medical doc, as it could be a meniscus issue.

[q-tip]

My overwhelming experience after 40 years of training and many sports injuries is -GET TO THE BEST SPORTS MEDICINE ORTHOPEDIC DOC YOU CAN FIND....'-

[Chenango]

It is good to get advice from people with knowledge. It is also good to get advice from an ortho doc. What do you have to lose other than some time and $$. I would reco that you go to a sport medicine ortho specialist.

Hope it feels better. I have suffered from bad kness for many years. Not fun.

[Water Rat]

It is good to get advice from people with knowledge. It is also good to get advice from an ortho doc. What do you have to lose other than some time and $$. I would reco that you go to a sport medicine ortho specialist.

Hope it feels better. I have suffered from bad kness for many years. Not fun.

Exactly! I made the mistake of listening to teammates when my knee issues first started. "Just do this and the pain will go away," is not always the case. If the pain persists, see a good doc. Better to err on the side of caution.

[XANGO]

I just summited on the 17th of September and I am having the same problems. Here it is two weeks later and I'm still having problems. You're not alone if that makes you feel any better.

[LDog]

For a bit of contrarian advice, I'd suggest seeing a family practitioner with the goal of getting a consult to a physical therapist. If you're not a candidate for knee replacement surgery, an orthopod will send you home with a poorly xeroxed pack of stretching exercises. A colossal waste of money. Get thee to a good PT who can really fix what ails ya. If you don't know who's good, ask a HS sports coach ...

[Drybones]

I'm no doctor but I am very familiar with knee issues. I would give it a month off completely, then start gradually over a few months, walk, walk faster, jog, run...if at any point you feel pain stop, progress no further until all pain is gone. That's my approach to recovering from torn cartilage without surgery. It's taken me about 5 months to get back to being able to do the things I did before. Good luck!