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JimInMD 
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 6:47 am |
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I suspect that knee pain isn't uncommon amongst participants in our particular hobby. I don't think it's the hiking alone that's done the damage for me, but a lifetime of lacrosse, cross country, rugby, martial arts, hiking, military and police service have ALL played a role. After an injury at work in 2010, I was told that I have very little cartilage remaining in my left knee and the right is only marginally better. As the temps drop, I find myself with sore knees more days than not and at 35 years old, 190lbs and not likely to get younger or lose weight I'm in trouble. So, aside from making an appointment with an ortho doc (which I will after the first of the year), how do you folks treat knee pain? I use a glucosamine/ chondroitin supplement but I'm not really sure it's helping anymore. Thoughts? Supplements or exercises I should try?
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 2
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TDale
Group: Members
Posts: 13352
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 6:59 am |
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Try straight glucosamine sulfate. Seems to work better for me that g/c mixes. Keeping toned leg muscles helps with the slack in the joint your loss of cartilage causes. Got arthritis in your family history? Be sure the ortho knows that.
Human knees aren't evolved for upright bipedalism, yet. Good thing we have replacements available. I've been dealing with bad knees since I was 17.
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"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
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| Post Number: 3
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 7:05 am |
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I think my leg exercises are all that are keeping me moving as pain free as I am. Good call on the family arthritis history. My Dad has had both of his knees rebuilt.
May I ask what strength and brand of glucosamine sulfate you use?
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 4
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GaliWalker
Group: Members
Posts: 609
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 7:22 am |
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One this I do as a preventative measure is to keep the knees bent slightly on steeper downhills. This way the knees are not locked, which reduces shock on them. The extra force is instead transfered to the quads. I work on the quads regularly in the gym, even though this isn't really needed if I'm hiking every weekend.
I worked this out for myself about 6-7years ago, after a dayhike with 7000ft of elevation loss which put me out of action for a month. Since then, I've done many worse hikes without any ill effects.
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 5
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LostSheep
Most Awesomest Member
Group: Members
Posts: 7970
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 9:52 am |
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the knee exercises are good. Also, look into your ITB, that could be working against you.
Honestly, go to your ortho, see if he can set you up for a couple of visits (shouldn't need many) to PT and have them help you with several range of motion exercises for the hips, ITB, & knee.
Hope that helps!
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Team Red, White & Blue’s vision is to transform the way wounded veterans are reintegrated into society when they return from combat and exit the Armed Services.
IT'S OUR TURN. Ask me how you can help.
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| Post Number: 6
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oldnolder
Group: Members
Posts: 1781
Joined: Jun. 2009
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 10:36 am |
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G/C does not work for me but tumeric capsules do. When the pain gets real bad I take some generic aleive. Do the exercises from PT as LS suggests, they help. I went to ortho about 8 years ago and he said they could replace my right knee then and my left wasn't far behind. I went to a different ortho and he sent me to a PT to learn the exercises. My knees still hurt but not much more than then. I went back to the ortho #2 a year ago and he said to keep doing the exercises and maybe add some tai chi or something for movement and I should never have to have them replaced. Tumeric is a spice but comes in a capsule. My sister had to stop taking it because her liver numbers went up. I know lots of folks who have been taking it for years. It is a natural anti-inflammatory. Google it.
Good luck with them.
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| Post Number: 7
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 10:52 am |
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Thanks all. After the injury a few years ago, I did PT for 8 weeks and it helped for a while.
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 8
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fifeplayer
Group: Members
Posts: 2630
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 3:08 pm |
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Hopefully the doc sends you over to PT.
A tight IT band can really mess you up good. Making sure you stretch that one regularly + four way straight leg raises can help stabilize your knee. Strengthening the medial thigh muscles is also important - it's one of the groups that a lot of people can miss when working the rest of the lower limb.
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| Post Number: 9
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