I’ve developed chondromalacia patella, which in English is worn out knees. I’m planning an AT thru-hike for 2004. I’m getting physical therapy, training by hiking and biking. I’d appreciate hearing about others’ experiences doing the AT with similar knee problems. I plan to use trekking poles and wear knee braces. Thanks, Annie
Annie K
Get your pack weight down to nothing, start when the weather is warmer and you’ll have some knee left, also get a good anti inflam from your doc + we used glucosamine which does work for lubing the joints.
Bushwhack and Bramble
Eats that glulcosimine and when you get into N.H.- V.T.- Maine.Stand by for lots of screaming. Bring trekking poles too
virginian
Do a little research into a nut-sup called turmeric. It’s actually a spice that’s essential in Indian cooking, a chief component in curry I think. Anyhow, there’s some good studies from the UK that seem to relate reduced joint inflamation to 1+ gram daily. I been using it and I think there’s a benefit. There seems to be a stronger case for it’s neurological benefits, like in reduces incidence of Alzheimer’s. Vitamin World $7.00 a 100.
Glucosamine condroitin, treking poles all good. Poles or staff particularly important downhill. That’s where my problems come in. Helps to lessen my foot-plant shock if I put the pole down first then ease down. Walk safe!
Fair skies and flat trails.
Jim2
I was diagnosed with the same condition 2 years ago. After 3 months of physical therapy I thru hiked the LongTrail. It took about 10 days before the pain stopped but by the end of the trail, my knees felt better than at any time I can remember. My physical therapist told me the LT would set me back, but it turned out to be exactly what my knees needed. Keep up the leg strengthening exercises, hike with poles and force yourself to take it slow when you start the AT. At least for the first few weeks. Good Luck!
quasimodo
Here is a web page to look at for more information on glucosamine and condroitin. Lood particularly at “The Bottom Line” for recommendations on which supplements to buy.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/glucosamine.html
nycman50
Thanks to all who’ve responded so far. I forgot to mention that I’m already taking glucosamine/chondrointin. It’s especially helpful to hear from Quasimodo that although there may be pain initially it’s still possible to do a long hike. Yes, I plan to start out slow (5 to 7 miles per day for first week or two) then gradually build up. And yes, I’m trying to keep my pack weight to a minimum. I’m even buying a new pack and sleeping bag that will reduce my base weight by about four pounds, hopefully down to about 18 to 20 pounds with winter gear. Thanks! Annie
Annie K
Im being completely serious about this. I had/have the same problem with my knees. But after 16 sessions of close to an hour each of acupuncture treatment, the pain is pain and symptoms are completely gone!! Sure after a hard day of uphill biking or sitting in a movie theatre for 3 hrs to watch the LoTR:Two Towers they hurt a little bit, but for the most part the pain has subsided.
Im not a huge advocate of eastern medicine/holisitic healing, I just wanted my pain to go away so I could run/bike/hike again wihout pain.
I’ll give you some brief details of an acupuncture session here, and if you want more details I’ll post again or email you, whichever you prefer.
Each session for costs $65 (Im outside of ChiTown) and lasts close to an hr. Its all covered by my insurance too, (Humana & Blue Cross before) My acupuncturist uses kineisiology (sp?) which forced resitance to determine whether I have a ‘reaction’ to a vile that I hold in my hand. ( I know, it sounds hoaky) So if you have knee pain, she puts a control vile, some kind of ligament, joint, knee, what have you vile in my hand…I lay down and she tests my energy meridians using kineisiology.(we all have them, western medicine just doesn’t give them much weight)
Then I lay on my stomach and she hits (not hard)my back along my spine with her hands…and then with a little pressure instrument (again along the spine) I lay on my back again and repeat the kinesiology part again, lay on my stomach, ect…after thats done its time for the needles! Its really not that bad…if my memory serves me right, for my knee/ligament pain, I had 8-10 needles…a couple in my feet and calves, and hands and wrists. Next you lay there for a 1/2 hr or so and thats that.
I know how bad chondromalcia can be…the orthopods kept insisting on antiinflamatory meds and therapy…well after a year of that with very little improvement I was ready to try anything, I mean at 28 yrs old to have searing knee pain…
Trust me, it works and at 65 bucks a session Im sure its much cheaper than a traditional doctor! If you want her phone # Im sure she’d be happy to answer your questions.
Sorry to be so lengthy, I just hate hear about people in pain when I know there is a solution waiting to be had!
Take care,
ShortTerm
ShortTerm
You know, i used to be skeptical about acupunture, but then a good friend of mine told me about how her father used to have these INSANE headaches for YEARS AND YEARS. Someone had suggested acupunture to him, and at first he shrugged it off (not believing in it) but after suffering for so long, he decided to give it a shot. I can’t remember how many sessions he went for, but he hasn’t had a headache that comes even CLOSE to the ones he used to suffer from for the past 7 or 8 years.
C-Giddy
It’s important to remember that just because something sounds hokey…just because certain things we hear about seem to deal with “energies” or “auras” or “chakras” or other things that some “reasonable and logical” people would automatically dismiss, doesn’t mean that these things don’t hold any truth to them. Sure, the explanations may be off (perhaps it has nothing to do with energies or chakras), but maybe we just haven’t discovered the scientific reasons for why these things work. Just because we don’t know the science behind it, doesn’t mean we should dismiss the evidence that these things work.
“Nothing happens in contridiction to nature; only in contridiction to what we know of it.” --Dana Scully
C-Giddy
I crushed my foot between my Harley and a Toyota a year prior to my thruhike. I tried every doctor, they did nothing. My foot hurt every step, forget about a pack. Someone told me about accupunture. I told them there is no #%&*ing way sticking pins in me could do anything. I ONLY went so I could say I tried everything. As soon as she stuck the last pin in me the pain was gone for the first time in a year. I was and am still in shock that it worked. I know this does not happen to everyone, but it was a miracle for me.
Blue Jay
Just make sure your supplements have the ingredients they say they have, in therapeutic amounts and don’t contain harmful ingredients in excessive amounts. Consumer Reports and ConsumerLab.com both do that.
Regarding acupuncture, I have had it several times for my back. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. I had better and more permanent results from physical therapy.
nycman50
I used the glucosamine and it worked great. Skip the condroitin it doesn’t add anything and it jacks up the cost significantly. Hiker candy or Vit. I (800 mg. Ibuprofen three time a day when needed). Flame tried accupunture in PA and it didn’t help her. My younger brother set up my exercise and med program and it worked fantastic (He’s been the strength and condititoning coach for two college football National Champions). I’m 56 and the only problem I had was sore feet when I got to Katahdin. Just take it slow!!! Three years ago, Flame and I hiked GA and her knees went out on her. She had problems walking for months. We did our exercises and glucosamine and she did great (the rocks in PA caused some swelling). If you are female stretch your IT Band. That is the major problem with knees on female basketball players in college. It is located on the side of the knee and runs up the thigh and attaches at the spine in the lower back area. I you sit down and extend your knee you can feel it on the side of your knee where your quads start. Good luck.
Papa Smurf
Hi Annie K., I’m currently hiking the AT with knees like yours. I had severe pain on the downhills and doubted whether I could even long-distance hike at all. A fellow thruhiker with similar symptoms recommended a knee brace called the Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Brace and before my hike I purchased 2 online at the Cho-Pat website. I’ve been on the trail now for just about one month (I’m at Hot Springs now) and I can assure you that I credit my being here to those knee braces. While I’m not completely pain-free, I usually get through most of the day (we’re averaging 10 miles/day) without discomfort… NOTHING compared to hiking without the braces. I HIGHLY recommend them. Good luck to you!
Scamp