Knee Problem: To wear the brace or not

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#1

So a quick synopsis of prior problems is as follows:

  • Last March I did a 6-day hike on the AT from around Blacksburg up past Dragon’s Tooth.
  • By day three my knee was killing me
  • By day five I was forced to bail off the trail a day early due to some rather significant swelling and a general feeling of not being able to move it at all without pain.
  • I get home, go to the Dr’s and recieve referral to orthopedist.
  • At orthopedist I am told I am a) bowlegged (23 years of thinking I was anatomically correct came crashign down in the first 10 seconds); b) missing a muscle that holds my knee cap in proper location, and c) have some disorder where my bowleggedness causes irritation for the muscle that runs from mid-thigh, down to ankle.
  • I am told by Dr. that stretching can help remedy this, and that I should wear a horseshoe brace on my knee for intense physical activity. When I asked him about thru-hiking he didn’t really take it serious and gave me sort of a BS response.

So my questions are these:
A) Whether anyone out there has had similar problems, or know of someone who does;
B) Whether this previous knee condition developed out of a particularly up-and-down, difficult section (knee-wise) on the AT, that I won’t really find on the PCT, and
C) What everyone thinks about the feasibility of carrying this bulky, neoprene-like knee brace the entire length of the PCT.

Novakaine

#2

Post didn’t really show up the way I typed it up, and consequently, is much more difficult to read. Hope everyone can make it through.

Novakaine

#3

You might try contacting (Dr.) Slow Walker. As I recall, he uses some sort of fancy Cho Pat which looks more comfortable than neoprene. Perhaps the regular Cho Pat would work? YMMV

Good Luck

Lady Di

#4

Have you considered a second opinion, specifically that of a physical therapist? I’m wondering if it is not an overuse injury leading to chondromalacia patalla, which happens when a quad muscle is overworked, fails, and leads to the kneecap riding out of its groove. I’ve suffered from this in the past, the pain can be impressive. In my case one of the 4 quad muscles (the one which runs from the outside of the hip around the front of the thigh and attachs to the inside of the knee) became overworked, essentially shut down and allowed the kneecap to ride out of place. Serious pain. The PT showed me how to tape my knee cap and do stretches and strengthening exercises. This issue does not take a great deal of time to resolve but it does take patience and knowledge.

Your case may be entirely different but I’d consider another set of eyes if you haven’t already.

Mark

#5

I injured my knee back in January and was diagnosed with chondromalacia of the patella also. I underwent several sessions with a physical therapist to strengthen my knee. My husband and I finished the AT this July and I took my knee brace with me but never used it. The therapy really helped me. I would advise you to check with your doctor about some therapy. They were not difficult exercises. Hope this info will be of some help to you. Enjoy your hiking!

Bacall

#6

If you don’t trust your doc, then please find a second opinion from another, better specialist. We are not specialists. “Missing” a muscle sounds suspicious. Either you misinterpreted your doc’s explanation, or he is a true quack. I suspect that Mark and Bacall may be onto something with the CMP.

I have CMP and there are no missing muscles, just weak ones that can’t hold the kneecap in place if you really push your phy. limits. In other words, “bursts” of intense physical activity (like a days-long backpacking trip) that alternate with a return to society and a lifestyle with minimal exercise, can spell problems. I did this all the time in my early 20s and incurred a variety of injuries (CMP was the most significant), followed by long spells of therapy and frustration. At 23 years, I was frustrated that the solution was not as simple as a knee brace, but rather true, brute-ass hard work (e.g. physical therapy) to solve the problem.

I too am out-of-allignment and it was a wake-up call to stretch, exercise, and alternate activities as much as possible (running, hiking, biking, yoga). Be vigilant about building this “insurance” for the times when you really do want to take that long hiking trip.

Backtrack

#7

I had the same problem for years with my knee. I have tried several differ braces with no help. Like everyone else after I learn the correct way to stretch, and exercise all my knee problems have gone away.

You may want to see another doc. I when to several and was about to have surgery, until one of the docs. sent me to a physical therapist. That was 4 years ago and I have not had any problems with my knee since. :slight_smile:

Mark L