Knee brace

[Zac]

So I made the mistake of overdoing it before a long through hike. Carried more weight than normal and went to far or chose a difficult trail head..Trinkus lake. Anyway I did not have insoles in my boots and on the way down my knee started to hurt..only going down hill. I have some Superfeet picked out as I have used them in the past and I want to pick up a knee brace but I’m not so sure on what one I want to get. My next hike is going to be 60 miles or so and I don’t want to hurt the whole time so any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,
Zac

[Doug Coe]

Sorry, I don’t know anything about knee braces. Hopefully someone who does will chime in.

For what it’s worth, you just might get more replies if your topic title is more specific. :)

[JCH]

My 2c…

The only knee brace that you can trust to target your particular problem is one that a doctor prescribes after an examination.  I have seen people make a bad knee worse using a drug store knee brace. If you really want to adress the problem, get a doctor’s opinion.

Let the flaming begin :)

[Matthew / BPL]

Or a Physical Therapist.

[Pedestrian]

Having hike/run with folks that used these things I’ll agree with the above opinion that knee braces are worse than useless.

Get your knee evaluated for potential serious issues (which seem unlikely given you’re able to abuse your body on a long hike and still live to want to do another one ;). Best fix: build up to longer and harder hikes over time and stay in shape! As you age your body will keep trying to teach you this: “It’s much harder to GET in shape than it is to STAY in shape”! You can listen to your body or suffer – more than likely you’ll listen to your body AND suffer……

[bradmacmt]

Chopat is your huckleberry:

[Zac]

I was looking at that very one. I do however have time to see my doc and get his opinion to. He will probably tell me to not carry the extra weight like a 20 year old…lol

[Brad P]

If the pain is on the outside of the knee after going downhill, it’s likely an IT band issue.

That seems to be the issue I have. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of conflicting info on solutions.

[MJ H]

This may be obvious, but are you using trekking poles? Because using those is the best concession I ever made to middle age. They removed all pain I had on the downhill, because they let me take weight off of my knees/feet.

As I said, probably obvious, but when I got to the age where I needed them, it took me too much pain before I decided to try them.

[Ken Thompson]

Why are you using inserts? Do you need them in your daily life?

[Zac]

I do use a trekking pole…singular. I am going to start using my other pole now. Ken I sit in front of a computer everyday and the inserts in my boots are just flaps pretty much.

My problem I believe is weak knees. I usually snowshoe during winter to keep the legs strong but I did not get a chance this last season. Which is to bad because there was LOTS of snow. This is all my fault for not staying in shape.

[Mike In Socal]

I think you answered your own question. :) Like others have said, you can see a doctor. But… they’ll tell you: rest-ice-compression-elevation. Then they may suggest a PT who will give you: rest-ice-compression-elevation-stim…..3x per week for 6 weeks. Ultimately, YOU have to strengthen your legs – before work, after work, weekends, whenever you can. I fell into that doc-PT routine and it did nothing for me except prolong a “knee issue”. 3 weeks after starting up honest workouts (4x/week), my “knee issue” started to get better. I don’t believe in “weak knees”. Weak leg muscles that support the knees are where to look. My 0.02.

[Seth R]

Never let a bad knee hold you back. I had right ACL reconstruction at 18 and left medial menisectomy at 46. Like others said it’s all about the training in between hikes building your leg muscles. I trail run 2-3 x a week and that makes all the difference. See your doctor and figure out what is a good plan. I also heavily stretch and ice after any exercise. At 50 I can still do a big miles and elevation on some of the worst parts of the AT for multiple days under backpacking loads.

[Greg Mihalik]

“Knee pain” –

Under the patella? Below the patella where the patellar tendon connects to the tibia? On the outside of the knee, below the joint? The inside or outside of the knee joint? In the back of the knee?

If you want some help you’ve got to offer some info.

Just saying ….

[Matthew / BPL]

@rcmike – Your experience with a PT for knee pain sounds very different than mine. My PT prescribed lots of strengthening exercises and stretches. I’d spend about an hour doing them each visit under the watchful eye of one of the PT Technicians in addition to the 30 minutes is spend with the PT one on one getting dry needled, astym soft tissue/fascia work and other treatments. Visiting to the PT was exhausting and took a long time but was very effective.

To the OP: I’ve seen a PT for knee and ankle problems and in both cases those problems were related to either deficiencies in other parts of my lower body or lack of flexibility. The causative problems were putting extra load on my knee or ankle. My $.02 is that you should seek out a good PT and find out what is causing the pain and then do the exercises and stretching the PT prescribes. Good luck!

[Matthew / BPL]

Also, try to find a “sports rehab” type PT not an elderly and car accident PT practice. If you find the right place you’ll see runners, cyclists, golfers, basketball players, etc. as clients.

[Zac]

You guys are awesome…end result is it was my IT band. Now I get to massage it with this foam roll thing, stretch 2x a day or more and if I go hiking wear an open knee style brace. Not stretching before exercise was the probable cause. I’m supposed to trry not wearing the brace if I feel no pain for a week or so. I went for an easy 6 mile hike today with just a day pack and everything seemed to be ok, no knee pain anyway.

PT guy said if it still bothers me in a couple weeks come back.

FYI it hurt top right of my right knee cap. Tendon was so swollen I couldn’t feel it and now that the swelling is down the pinpoint spot was right next to where it attaches to the bone, just above it inbetween where the other one is.

[Greg Mihalik]

ITB Help –

[Matthew / BPL]

Isn’t the foam roller “fun”?

[Rich G]

Massage with an ice cube (a small paper cup frozen is better) right on the tendon can really help.

[Greg Mihalik]

ITB Stretch Myth –  google it.

Here is one of many –

https://www.painscience.com/articles/iliotibial-band-syndrome-stretch.php

Strength is the answer –

 

Stretching the ITB may help some, but strength training is the long term solution for many.

[Monte Masterson]

Go with the Flex Lite. Weighs 12.7 oz total and it won’t slip down on you. You don’t even know you’re wearing it, but the brace reduces stress on the patella and adjoining ligaments. Costs about $80.  Comes in 4 different sizes. Made in Florida.

[Rodney Ackerman]

Perhaps try this?

https://backpackerpt.com/2012/06/27/backpacking-with-knee-pain/

I had similar hurts years ago doing a short AT stint. I thought I  was prepared for the hike, but evidently not. I rarely get out where elevation changes as  much as that trip so I cannot determine if they help, but I do them regularly just the same.

[Kevin Babione]

I had the exact same symptoms on a hike – I was fine on the flat or going uphill, but the instant I had any kind of downhill the pain was awful.  There were two of us on that hike with the exact same issue – we were hiking the “West Rim Trail” in PA which basically follows the western rim of the “Pennsylvania Grand Canyon” (westerners please don’t laugh).  We figured that our left foot (we were hiking north to south) was just a little lower than our right on each and every step because the trail generally sloped down to the left as we hiked it and this put extra strain on our right knee.

We both bought the Cho-Pat and were really happy with the results.

[Author]

Posts