Re: who has/had knee problems?
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 1:06 pm
I have dealt with multiple knee injuries and operations over the years (operations in 1978, 1998), as a member of KP, and have managed to stay very mobile in the backcountry and elsewhere. I heartily agree with statements regarding seeking second opinions as a KP member. Another observation I have is that KP's general orientation is that so as long as one is walking you're OK, whereas a truly sporting or athletic lifestyle is beyond their general scope. However, I have repeatedly made it clear that it was important to me to lead such a lifestyle, so my 2nd knee operation in 1998 took place (at my request) even though I could probably run faster and jump higher than the vast majority of adults my age (39 at the time of the operation).
One thing to think about and consider before you go under the knife is whether various strengthening and flexibility exercises can postpone or obviate the need for surgery. My 1998 surgery was originally scheduled for 1994(? maybe earlier, the problems leading to this began in 1992) but was postponed two years because of changes and upgrades in my rehab/strengthening/flexibility regimen that a KP orthopedic surgeon had suggested to me (the one who would have operated on me in 1994 or so but did not). When I told him (ca. 1994?) that the exercises helped so much I wished to cancel the surgery date he remarked to me that in his experience, such exercises were indeed very effective, but very few people diligently did them even when told of their benefits. There have been many moderate knee injuries that I have worked through with my strength and flexibility exercises (quadriceps and hamstring strengthening, flexibility of quads, hamstrings), since my first knee operation in 1978.
I can honestly say that my "bad" knee (right one, on which I've had two operations) is way better than it was in the years 1977-1980 or so. I remember going backpacking with friends during that period of time and they would say it was spooky to hike behind me and watch my knee unpredictably buckle every now and then. I can't recall the last time that happened in the high country. I have since sustained injuries to my "good" knee while backpacking, most notably hyperextending it missing an off trail landing (jumping a small stream) in 1987 and it is beginning to feel about the way my "bad" one did before my 1998 operation. I've tweaked my bad one a couple of times in the last few years, but have rebounded reasonably quickly, probably because of my extensive strength training routine: in 2008 I got a bit carried away why scree skiing on descent of Finger Peak. The right knee sort of caved after a jump and bothered me for the rest of the "Tunechuck" trip, but didn't significantly impede what was the best backpack trip I've had since the mid 90's. I think it was three months of rehab before the knee was back to "baseline". Similarly, I took a fall off of slippery boulder while teaching a field geology class in 2011 and tweaked the right knee on landing. That one also took about 3 months to get back to baseline. In both cases, I suspect the severity of the injury and the recovery times were much shorter than would have been the case without my strengthening regimen.
I believe that the older we get, the more time we need to devote to rehabilitative/preventative maintenance sort of exercise and training. This is somewhat along the lines of what the great pitcher Nolan Ryan once said (I believe it was when he was still playing in his mid 40's) "Sports after the late 30's is one continuous rehab." To me, the extra training time necessary to stay mobile over rough ground is well worth it.
Best wishes getting your knee back in hiking shape. The same wishes go out to MK's wife.
One thing to think about and consider before you go under the knife is whether various strengthening and flexibility exercises can postpone or obviate the need for surgery. My 1998 surgery was originally scheduled for 1994(? maybe earlier, the problems leading to this began in 1992) but was postponed two years because of changes and upgrades in my rehab/strengthening/flexibility regimen that a KP orthopedic surgeon had suggested to me (the one who would have operated on me in 1994 or so but did not). When I told him (ca. 1994?) that the exercises helped so much I wished to cancel the surgery date he remarked to me that in his experience, such exercises were indeed very effective, but very few people diligently did them even when told of their benefits. There have been many moderate knee injuries that I have worked through with my strength and flexibility exercises (quadriceps and hamstring strengthening, flexibility of quads, hamstrings), since my first knee operation in 1978.
I can honestly say that my "bad" knee (right one, on which I've had two operations) is way better than it was in the years 1977-1980 or so. I remember going backpacking with friends during that period of time and they would say it was spooky to hike behind me and watch my knee unpredictably buckle every now and then. I can't recall the last time that happened in the high country. I have since sustained injuries to my "good" knee while backpacking, most notably hyperextending it missing an off trail landing (jumping a small stream) in 1987 and it is beginning to feel about the way my "bad" one did before my 1998 operation. I've tweaked my bad one a couple of times in the last few years, but have rebounded reasonably quickly, probably because of my extensive strength training routine: in 2008 I got a bit carried away why scree skiing on descent of Finger Peak. The right knee sort of caved after a jump and bothered me for the rest of the "Tunechuck" trip, but didn't significantly impede what was the best backpack trip I've had since the mid 90's. I think it was three months of rehab before the knee was back to "baseline". Similarly, I took a fall off of slippery boulder while teaching a field geology class in 2011 and tweaked the right knee on landing. That one also took about 3 months to get back to baseline. In both cases, I suspect the severity of the injury and the recovery times were much shorter than would have been the case without my strengthening regimen.
I believe that the older we get, the more time we need to devote to rehabilitative/preventative maintenance sort of exercise and training. This is somewhat along the lines of what the great pitcher Nolan Ryan once said (I believe it was when he was still playing in his mid 40's) "Sports after the late 30's is one continuous rehab." To me, the extra training time necessary to stay mobile over rough ground is well worth it.
Best wishes getting your knee back in hiking shape. The same wishes go out to MK's wife.