Got Knee Pain, Read This!

[maverick]

Hi Oz

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[flyfisher70]

Really great advice on strengthening the leg muscles around the knees.

I had a work related accident that hurt my left knee pretty bad. I had a tear of the MCL and meniscus tear as well. There was something going on with my knee cap as well. I had to be in a leg brace for about seven months before the orthopedic surgeon did repairs in my knee. This knee injury happened back in September of 2008. I gained a significant amount of weight over that time. I went from 195lbs all the way up to 247lbs, that in itself was not helping my knee injury any. After the knee surgery I started doing leg exercises to try to regain strength and rebuild muscles that atrophied. It was a really long time before my muscles began to get balanced once again. Last year in May 2012 I began to really have lots of pain in both knees, I had lots of problems with my stomach, nasty acid reflux. It got to a point where I had to go see a gastrointestinal specialist. I had only lost a little of the weight I had gained and was 227lbs as of that May 2012 visit to the doctor. He pretty much told me my problem was my weight, he said loose the the weight and my acid reflux should get better plus I would feel a lot better. Well sine then I started a walking routine and tried to jog a bit but my knee hurts way to much so I stopped the jogging. I ride my bike which is really good and I started hiking as well. My current weight is 185lbs. It's taken me a long time to get where I am today but I feel really good with little to no knee pain, plus my acid reflux is gone for the most part. This coming July I will attempt to head up to Cottonwood Lakes for a bit of fly fishing and to take some photographs. This will be my first real test on my knee, I have not backpacked at all since before my injury. My longest hike to date is a 6 mile hike with no pack and just carrying water. I have not had any trouble with my knee and feel confident thus far. I'm still trying to loose about 20 more pounds before July which seems reasonable to me. I'm wondering if I should start carrying a pack with a few items to see how my knee does. I don't wear my knee brace, but the doctor said it would be best to wear if I attempt any type of physical activity that requires lots of pivoting. I just hate the thing, it get to hot and sweaty. If you have any advice as to what else I could do to prepare for my July trek that would be great.

Thanks
Benny

[maverick]

Hi Benny,

Would recommend that you slowly add weight to you pack and about a month/month and a half out from your trip your pack weight should be close to what you'll be carrying on your trip.
Also use trekking poles, they make a huge difference, and can save your knees especially during steep descents which does the most damage to the
knees.

Besides strengthening your Vastus Medius (quad muscle above the knee) learn to use your hip/glute muscles effectively. Many folks doing squats, romanian dead lifts or lunges never learn how to activate these muscles correctly or at all, and instead depend on weaker muscles like the quads or even weaker muscles in the lower back which is dangerous.

Listen to your bodies signals backing off when needed and employ RICE when needed. Wearing a knee brace may be good at the beginning, but will make muscles around the knee weak and will compromise balance if worn to long (unless you had some sort of permanent cartilage or other structural damage).

[ndwoods]

Thanks! At 63 I thought I was headed to knee replacements the pain was so bad. I had stopped running and pain would not go away. Then I started Crossfit in Jan and the pain is almost gone completely! I have been coached to do pretty much what you are saying but I did not understand ...just that it was helping so I kept doing as coached. Now I understand better!

[Love the Sierra]

Hi Mav,
This is the most sensible thing I have read about hiking and knees. Thank you!
Of course, turn a descent into a proper deadlift!
For years I have tried to pay attention to my knees in relation to my toes. However, on really steep, tricky terrain, I find my knees at wicked angles just to stay on my feet. Can this technique work on very steep decedents or, best yet our favorite, those Sierra granite steps?
Finally, I read something else about making every decent like a heel plunge and scree and even descend steps heel first. On soft dirt, of course this makes sense, but on those uneven granite steps?
Thanks in advance to all of you!

[Love the Sierra]

One more question, please…
WD and Mav, you both mention “proper” use of poles. Do either of you have a link to an article about this or can you describe it? I have used poles for years, but what is “proper” I am not sure.

[Love the Sierra]

Okay, I think that I am a terrible clutz or just completely uncoordinated…
I tried pushing my hips back on small little 6” stairs on my patio and, there is nothing for it, once I shift my weight to the forward, down foot, my knees go over my toes. What am I doing wrong?

[maverick]

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