Knee Health

[Bob Hummel]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Trekking poles. They have been scientifically proven to reduce stress on knees. A single stave won't do the same thing. Learn to use them properly. I suggest one pole plant per step.

 

[Bob Hummel]

Trekking poles. They have been scientifically proven to reduce stress on knees. A single stave won't do the same thing. Learn to use them properly. I suggest one pole plant per step.

Thank you! Yes, I should have mentioned, I do have a set of Black Diamond Trekking Poles. And they certainly do help!
Bob

 

[BShea]

The downhills can be killer on the knees. I use Mueller jumper's knee straps as a preventative measure. I don't even notice them. I have let others borrow them who were hurting along the way and they said they could feel the difference. Also, a doctor told me I needed to relearn to walk heel first in order to avoid so much movement in the knee. Hope this helps!

 

[Tigger]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

Hello Bob,
I too am a first timer preparing to walk with Kanga and another lovely lady in April May 2017. Although fit for my age, I have an 'iffey' right hip, and a 'dodgy' left knee.
It has been SO beneficial to visit my physio as preventive, rather than actually being treated for an injury, and I recommend it. ( I have also visited the dentist and will do so once again just before we leave in mid-April) and I am now on an exercise programme to strengthen and loosen my body issues, as well as some balance and core strength. Combined with twice weekly 10-12 km walks, I feel I am doing all I can to prep. It is also great fun and a great relief to have my problems diagnosed as 'non-serious' and treatable. NOT arthritis which I was scare about. So my advice is, if you can afford it, get professional help and guidance. We are lucky in Australia to have a form of 'universal health care' combined with an optional heath insurance systems for extras such as dental and physio, so it is not costing 'an arm and a leg'.

 

[Mark Lee]

I'm in my 50's and my knees are finally giving payback for all the years of abuse I gave them.
Losing weight is a great step to healthier knees. Also I've found stretching exercises that are knee specific to help. Lot's of instructional material on those exercises on the net.
Keeping your pack as light as possible also means less strain on your knees. Remember, don't pack anything out of fear or "what if?". Be a minimalist. You'd be surprised just how little you need when walking the Camino.
Good knee straps and braces can help. That Mueller's strap is definitely less invasive and does seem to help some.
Wearing the right footwear is important. That's both you shoes/boots and your insoles. Your socks, too. Wear the wrong socks and get painful blisters and that will effect how you walk and can lead to knee problems.
and yes, those trekking poles definitely take some of the shock off your knees when used properly. Once you get the proper stride and rhythm with them you can tell the difference. I'm a late convert of them.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Cross legs at ankles, bend over like your doing toe touches, switch legs, cross repeat.

Bend one leg at knee with back leg stretched and push against a door casing with back leg. Switch legs and repeat.

Before you walk, mid day and evening.

 

[Bob Hummel]

Thank you all for the great tips!
Bob

 

[Mike Trebert]

Hi Bob,

I also use the Mueller knee straps. I wore them every day on my CF earlier this year. They are so comfortable I forgot I was wearing them. I never had any knee problems. It seems to me very obvious how they work - they stretch across the main ligament (the ACL) which is under the kneecap and work like guy ropes on a tentpole. The ligament can't pop sideways with this strap holding it in place.

As Mark Lee said, walking poles also help, I think. Imagine all that weight (body+pack) accelerating down onto one knee at a time during a descent! Poles take some of the weight and must save knees, ankles, feet.

Buen Camino, - Mike

 

[Hiawatha]

As a young man [ oh how far away is that ! ] I suffered from knee pain . It became worse after leaping out of aeroplanes for years .
My father [ God bless his soul ] forbade me to ever have a bicycle ; he had seen the tragic death of a paper delivery boy in 1960 here in Melbourne , consequently I didn't really ride seriously until much later in my life .
Miraculously the knee pain left , the more I rode the better and stronger my knees became . The pain was relegated to a distant memory , it still is .
Poles by all means , for training, ride some sort of bicycle or exercise bike .

 

[martyndeh]

I use Flexi S.E.Q. gel which is a phosphoid lipid. This means it lubricates the knee joint but is not a medicine like ibru profen. It is expensive about £18 - £20 a tube but helps my arthritic left Knee along with shock poles( t-handles). I managed a 100 miles last may for charity and I am 71. buen camino

 

[linkster]

Knee straps and stretching. Did I already say stretching, or maybe try stretching.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

Bob,

I notice you mentioned fish oil capsules in your OP. This might sound nerdy but here goes: I'm a longtime vegetarian so don't use fish oil capsules. I did so for a long time but switched to Omega 3 capsules made from algae. Fish get their omega 3 from algae or greens from lower down the food chain. The traditional Inuit diet is rich in Omega 3 because the animals/fish they eat get their Omega 3s from grazing on ocean greens or eating other fish that do. Fish oil capsules are a big industry and manufacture is seldom well controlled. Supplements are not subject to same regs as medication. Cut a capsule open and smell it. Sometimes smells not so fresh.

I order 6 months supply at a time from Vegetology in the UK. It's more expensive than fish oil, though.

Buen Camino, - Mike

 

[Harington]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

Knee muscles? If you strengthen the major muscle groups either side of the knee it will help support it - quadriceps, hamstrings, and the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus). Knee braces can actually weaken the knee - it needs to work. Trekking poles excellent for taking pressure off the joint/

 

[Mike Trebert]

Knee muscles? If you strengthen the major muscle groups either side of the knee it will help support it - quadriceps, hamstrings, and the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus). Knee braces can actually weaken the knee - it needs to work. Trekking poles excellent for taking pressure off the joint/

Camino weeks of repeated stress are a very unusual experience for anyone. Descending heavily eroded gullies full of wobbly, maybe wet and slippery round rocks can damage the strongest knees. I was very tired after a very long day, rushing to get indoors before dark. Twisted my leg, felt like I maybe almost broke or sprained something. My yoga teacher says my leg muscles are like steel but I'll never distance-walk without my Mueller knee straps. Straps and braces are not the same thing. Straps = preventative, braces = remedial.

 

[Mark Lee]

Camino weeks of repeated stress are a very unusual experience for anyone. Descending heavily eroded gullies full of wobbly, maybe wet and slippery round rocks can damage the strongest knees. I was very tired after a very long day, rushing to get indoors before dark. Twisted my leg, felt like I maybe almost broke or sprained something. My yoga teacher says my leg muscles are like steel but I'll never distance-walk without my Mueller knee straps. Straps and braces are not the same thing. Straps = preventative, braces = remedial.

Same with me. My leg muscles are still very strong, I've never torn any tendons or ligaments and I have good mobility in them, but the knee and ankle joints just aren't what they used to be. I've come to the conclusion it's just a combination of my age and past wear. Plus I'm not the lean and mean 82 kilos I was when I was back in my 20's and 30's, ha ha.
So now I do a lot of stretching and exercises that strengthen the leg muscles, especially the ones around the knee.

 

[Kanga]

I tore tendons in both knees while skiing when young. So both knees are stuffed. I avoid walking down steps whenever possible, much preferring a ramp. But I find with good pole use and making sure I don't jar my knees, by the end of a camino the muscles about the knee have strengthened and the knees work much better.

 

[Sixwheeler]

My knees are wrecked through years of mountaineering and Morris dancing. One has already been replaced but with the current state of the British health service I don't anticipate getting the other one done. After years of pain I'm now mostly pain free because is:
1)
I've lost weight
2)
I exercise regularly, nothing spectacular just lots and lots of walking
3)
Good quality, lightweight trekking poles - the correct length for me and used properly. And plenty of rubber tips to keep them quiet.

Good Luck and plan not to be over ambitious.

 

[Donna Sch]

Bob,

I notice you mentioned fish oil capsules in your OP. This might sound nerdy but here goes: I'm a longtime vegetarian so don't use fish oil capsules. I did so for a long time but switched to Omega 3 capsules made from algae. Fish get their omega 3 from algae or greens from lower down the food chain. The traditional Inuit diet is rich in Omega 3 because the animals/fish they eat get their Omega 3s from grazing on ocean greens or eating other fish that do. Fish oil capsules are a big industry and manufacture is seldom well controlled. Supplements are not subject to same regs as medication. Cut a capsule open and smell it. Sometimes smells not so fresh.

I order 6 months supply at a time from Vegetology in the UK. It's more expensive than fish oil, though.

Buen Camino, - Mike

Wild NRG in Australia have algal oil capsules. Not cheap - costs about AUD$50/month but they are quite bearable so I am able to maintain my compliance on a daily basis AND I don't feel guilty taking them since I prefer to eat vegetarian.

 

[Mike Trebert]

Wild NRG in Australia have algal oil capsules. Not cheap - costs about AUD$50/month but they are quite bearable so I am able to maintain my compliance on a daily basis AND I don't feel guilty taking them since I prefer to eat vegetarian.

Thanks, I'll check them out. The brand I mentioned end up costing about $14.50AU per month after various bulk discounts, incl shipping. Opti3 are sold at the Cruelty Free shop in Glebe Point Rd., Sydney (and their site), but are MUCH cheaper direct from UK via maker's website.

 

[Tom Leonard]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

All posts here are good advice . At 68 yrs old I did all of what was good prep . However , I did not anticipate the knee pain I had . I had hip replacement five years previous and that was fine .I finished with knee pain and poles were the reason . Did not know about Mueller's straps but will look now .
Take all the advice here so you don't end in pain ! Drink lots of water.

 

[Susan Peacock]

Besides the preventive steps mentioned already, these are some ideas for the Camino:

1) buy some voltaren forte or ibuprofen cream from the drugstore in France or Spain. This will help with inflammation.
2) I took kinesio tape (Rock tape) and learned how to tape my kneees from a youtube video (just like the chiropractor.) I would tape them on days with big descents and the tape would stay on about 4 days. I did take a small spray bottle of tincture of benzoin to added additional stickiness to the tape.
3) Compression pants with built in knee support. It should be cool enough when you are going for these. I wore them a lot in the fall and they were great in the spring for warmth. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QM968K/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[margareta söderberg]

Hello All!
I am training and preparing for my first pilgrimage at the end of April. I'm a little concerned about my knees, with all the long, multi day hikes.
Can any of you recommend a good knee support product, exercises, or supplements?
Here is what I am doing now:
1. Losing weight to take pressure off my knees, back, etc.
2. Doing exercises to help strengthen my knee muscles.
3. Taking Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements.
I have a knee support brace, but it digs into the back of my leg!
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Bob

A sami man once told me when he thought my skiing was poor, never strecht your legs completely, always keep them a tiny bit bent at yr knees.This works very well for me when I walk, never had any problems.
Best of luck!
Margareta

 

[Rajy62]

Hi Bob,
Yes, poles, knee strap, exercise, supplements all would help. But, one thing that is guaranteed to help not only your knees but your entire body, that is a maximum cushioned hiking shoes, like the Hoka one Tor tech mid.

I am in my late 50's on the heavier side. Walked two Caminos with regular traditional boots, never had any knee issue. More i walked the stronger my joints were getting. Until this summer, I started getting pain around my knees. Reluctantly decided to give the Hoka trail shoes a try. I immediately felt the difference. Used to take two hours for recovery now only 10 minutes. I highly recommend the Hoka Tor Tech mid. It even has an eVent waterproof insert. I am currently using this shoe in the winter. Occasionally water does get in though the base because Hoka decided to leave a gap on the insole. For the spring/summer/fall this shoe should be perfect.

 

[katie@camino]

I wouldn't have finished my Camino without kinesio/rock tape. What is great about using the tape is you can tailor it to what your specific issue is. I bought tape from an ortho shop in Estella and YouTubed some videos on various taping combinations and voila! Completed the Camino.

Also, when walking downhill, step slowly and mindfully.

 

[Tom Leonard]

What led you to this conclusion?

Poles were the reason I could finish . Not the reason for pain .
Without the use of poles , I may have quit .

 

[dfborg]

Hi Bob, I would suggest walking in a zig zag pattern ascending and descending. I find using this method along with poles takes a lot of strain off my knees.

Buen Camino

 

[martyndeh]

Hi Bob, I would suggest walking in a zig zag pattern ascending and descending. I find using this method along with poles takes a lot of strain off my knees.

Buen Camino

Yes i have seen this zig zagging when I walked with older people on the portugese. Good idea