Downhill knee pain

[bunglehead]

Oaky, I know I'm probably going over old ground, but here goes.

When I've been out hiking lately, my knees hurt going downhill. It's only on the steeper stuff, where I have to take smaller strides, and it hurts directly behind and a little on the outside of my kneecaps.

Anybody got some leg (or other) exercises that will help alleviate this?

[Ireneo_Funes]

The same thing used to happen to me, in exactly the same spot. I've tried a couple of stretches, but what really worked was getting a pair of trekking poles and using them on the downhill to take the weight off my knees a little.

 

I've heard it's a pretty common running injury, though I can't remember what it's called - maybe some of the runners on the board know some exercises that work for them.

[catbirdseat]

See this thread. Even trask weighed in.

 

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB11&Number=125244&Forum=f11&Words=%2Bknee%20%2Bpain%20%2Bdown&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=124780&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=&daterange=0&newerval=&newertype=&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post125244

[pzack]

I had the same thing last year and went to a P.T.

 

 

1) Good arch support made all the difference for me.

2) There are some stretches that can help a lot.

3) There are some muscle strenghtening exercises that will strengthen the supporting muscle around the knee.

 

4) Improving fitness will give you more energy to protect the knees at the end of a long alpine day.

[foraker]

Don't know if this will help because I've never had this problem, but if you have access to a gym, try doing leg lefts to strengthen the muscles around the knee.

[cj001f]

possibly chondromalacia. Streching & strengthening the knee muscles will help.

[Alasdair]

Start riding a bike. Start in very low gears and avoid hills. After a month or two continue with the low gears but hit a hill or two. YOu will be fine in the spring if you keep it up.

[bunglehead]

Thanks! Gotta be the IT band. All good advice.

 

Edited August 27, 2004 by bunglehead

[E-rock]

bunglehead, as you've already probably decided, it may be IT band friction syndrome, which is a knee problem that develops when you overtrain to quickly in running or hiking (like when you go out on 15 mile canyoneering day trips after sitting on your ass for a month, which is what happened to me a few years ago).

 

 

Does the pain begin as a barely perceptible warmth on the outside of the knee, and steadily grow until it's unbearable? Then it's probably IT band friction syndrome.

 

When I had it I did the stretches that are prescribed for it before, during and after exercise, I cut down on long hiking approaches for the entire summer (a bummer I know but the pain fucking sucked on the hike out), and I started riding my bike alot more. All three things helped and three years later I still don't have any problems with my IT Band.

 

Good luck

[bunglehead]

Desk jobs! YEAH!!!

I have a desk job too. So, yeah, that doesn't help.

 

And yeah, I also haven't been *COUGH* riding my bike as much as I used to. That's all gonna change very soon....

 

Thanks again for the advice peeps!

[dryad]

trekking poles

[Bill_Simpkins]

I have the same problem. IT band.

The trekking poles help, but does not solve the problem.

The cause of mine was in the way I rolled off of my foot.

Pay attention to how your walking. I just started doing this and noticed that I was putting lots of pressure on my little toes, and me knee would roll. When I step off and put most of the pressure on my big toe, my knee doesn't roll as much.

It hurts worse when I have my chair too low at the office. I had my desk raised a few inches so I could raise my chair and that helped a bunch.

 

My advice is to think about how your walking on the way up, so it doesn't hurt on the way down. Keep your knees warm, use poles to aid on the big step ups, avoid high steps, make sure you don't use the same leg on all the high steps, pack light, sit at the correct height and see a foot doctor. There are special stretches that help too, but you must be religious about them.

[bunglehead]

Thanks for the advice.

[ogre]

Try using a neoprene sleeve, they have helped me