Elk Hunting With Bad Knees

[Eyeeyecaptain]

Anybody else have bad knees? What do you do to keep the pain down? What about stretches or pre season conditioning? Know of a good brace to use?

Every year my knees seem to be an issue after a lot of hiking. I spend a good amount of time on a bike trying to strengthen the muscles and make sure I stretch out the legs to keep the muscles from pulling on the knee. This usually works along with some ibuprofen at the end of the day (sometimes the beginning too). It is usually a bit painful (especially downhill) but I can get along ok.

Recently I aggravated it at work and it does not seem to be getting better. Pain is in the middle of the joint and seems to hurt most when lifting the leg off the ground when walking.

 

[iccyman001]

This is not an end all fix all thing, but do you take anything for your joints or body?


Fish oils? Flaxseed oils?


I always always always stretch before I go in.
I don\'t do it cold either. I\'ll walk a little to warm my legs up and then stretch.

I also stretch when I get back to camp.

 

[Lark Bunting]

I blew up both Illiotibial bands in both knees a couple years running obstacle races. I stretch, roll on a foam roller, an cautious of what I do and still get it flaring up once in a while. Not much I can do about it.

 

[elky McElkerson]

have you seen a doctor?

i was having bad pain..mostly going down stairs and hills.

long story short..i was too fat. hhaha..i simplified it some..but my doctor cleared me for more exercise and i just dove in.

have you tried one of those big foam roller things and used them to stretch? there are some funny stretches...google them: you will giggle like an adolescent kid and imagine lewd inappropriate jokes..but some of the stretches are pretty profound.

 

[Baby Huey]

I spoke with my personal trainer about my knee\'s hurting when descending a hill with weight on. He suggested that my IT band was too tight and would add to this discomfort. He is a hiker and does a lot of 14ers. He said he had that problem and really needs to stretch out his IT band as well. He indicated that what most people do as we get older are exercises that have a forward motion - running, biking, hiking, etc. - but not a lot of exercises with lateral movement. He suggested a roller and an exercise band to go around my ankles to stretch and strengthen my IT band and muscles for lateral movement.

The roller I have is one from Wal Mart (Gold\'s Gym brand) that has a PVC type core with foam on the outside around $25. The trick with the roller is to not just roll over it like you are rolling out pizza dough, but to take 5-7 minutes to work out your soreness and get a good stretch in the IT band. The IT band runs the outside of your leg from your hip to your knee (do a Google images search to get a better idea). To do the roller work, lie on your side and start at your hip and slowly work down - and by slowly, I mean maybe an inch at a time. As you feel soreness, stop on that spot and then rotate on top of the roller to hit the entire width of your IT band. Keep doing this inch by inch until you get to your knee area, then switch legs. When I first did this my IT band was so tight I was ready to cry on that roller. But as I keep doing the roller stretching, it really has helped loosen up the IT band.

The strengthening exercises are a lateral movement with the exercise bands. I purchased the SPRI Xericuff unit from Sports Authority for under $20. This has a Velcro cuff on each side to wrap around your ankles. Get in an athletic stance (squatted down a bit, legs slightly wider than shoulder width, chest up, back strait) and drive one leg to the side, stretching the band and place your foot down. With the other leg, keep the resistance and slowly allow the other leg to come back to your athletic stance. Make sure your knees stay a bit outward - don\'t let them round inward. Do this 12-15 steps (sideways) on each leg then repeat and do two sets.

I did this for about two weeks and when I went scouting this weekend, I could really feel a difference in my knees going downhill with a 25lb pack on - It didn\'t hurt as bad as it used to and my knees felt stronger. I am hoping that as I keep up these exercises and stretching, I will see more results.

 

[mtnmutt]

Roman, Thank you for the detail instructions. I was using the roller incorrectly.

Last October, I started having daily knee pain. I had never had it before. I can\'t get rid of it. My legs have far more muscle than last year, so I don\'t get it. I may have made it worse with my downhill runs on Barr Trail this Summer.

Before my opening week of hunting, I cheat a little and get a deep tissue massage.

I carry collapsible trekking poles in my pack in case of packout or my knees get too painful for descents.

 

[CrazyElkHunter]

I had my 4th knee surgery 6 weeks ago. I\'ve got a drawer full of knee braces.
Jell injections or cortisone injections a few weeks before hunt helps, but still bothersome on steep terrain.
Stationary bike daily also helps to build strength and and keeps joints loose.
I have learned to meet new, younger friends near camp because they are stronger and eager to see a elk down. More than willing to haul the meat bags off the mountain.

 

[Eyeeyecaptain]

Thanks everybody for the advice!

I do take a joint supplement - glucosamine and some other stuff. I may need to add some fish oils or something too... can\'t hurt right!?

The roller seems to be a favorite so I will definitely try it. I also like the idea of the resistance bands, sounds like a low impact and effective solution.

Haven\'t been to the doctor elky. I\'m too stubborn and still walking haha

 

[mtnmutt]

I do take a joint supplement - glucosamine and some other stuff. I may need to add some fish oils or something too... can\'t hurt right!?

You may try taking a turmeric (curry) tablet with the fish oil. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory. I was taking Motrin daily. I switched to taking turmeric and fish oil which reduced my days I needed Motrin. Turmeric needs to be taken with a fat, hence, taking the 2 together.

 

[WW]

I had a total knee replacement on March 24 with all kinds of complications. They messed me up so bad with medications that at one point I was declared totally unresponsive and I actually saw Jesus Christ. That is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. But I\'ll hold back the preaching for now.

So here is my advice to you. Take tylonol extra strength about three times a day and tough it out this season. Then get the knee Xrayed and if the Dr. says you need a new one, do it. Even before Christmas if possible. Don\'t be like me and put it off too long. Had mine done the end of Match. I\'ll be able to hunt this year. But it is going to be very slow and for shorter distances.

By the way, I\'m no spring chicken anymore. Heck, I\'m almost as old as Swede.

 

[razorback]

I can vouch for the fake knee. I\'ve had two. They aren\'t as good as the originals but they seem to work in the mountains just makes you slower and you can\'t put as much weight on your back. You are limited on your exercises though. No more running which was what I primarily did prior to my knee replacements. Looking back on it I wished I would have treated my knees better and not put off seeing a doctor for years. I think the outcome would have been different, I\'m probably too young to have had two replacements (43) but I used to refuse to go to a doctor. My advice would be do something but don\'t ignore it until it\'s too late!

 

[Jaquomo]

Go to an ortho. It\'s worth the money. Your insurance should pay for most of it. I was having knee pain a couple years ago and tried all sorts of \"buddy says\" remedies. None worked. I take glucosamine/MSM too. I hunted for a season in pain and hated it.

The ortho diagnosed it as Femoral-patella syndrome - \"runner\'s knee\". He prescribed some specific exercises for that particular ailment and it totally fixed it within a couple weeks. Now whenever the knee pain crops up I get on the exercises, all of which I can do while watching TV or hunting videos.

When I had hip pain two seasons ago during summer I tried \"Buddy says\" and internet treatments. I used rollers for the IT band, different exercises. Finally went to the ortho and he told me I needed a new hip. Gutted it out and killed a big bull, then got the replacement. Amazing. I was walking the next day, riding a bike four days later. Now it\'s like a perfect hip.

Go to the ortho. It\'s not worth guessing and possibly doing more damage.

 

[mtnmutt]

Jaquomo makes a very good point. I delayed seeing an ortho for my shoulder. I thought I could fix it on my own. I did not know I had caused 2 tendon tears in my shoulder until after I went to an ortho. I waited 4 months to go because I was busy with work. I was never going to fix it without seeking advice from an ortho and go to PT.

I probably should not say this, but...Roman tips with the roller and IT band are working for me. My pain has been reduced by 75% with 2 days of intense roller use on the IT band. I use a very stiff roller: Trigger Point Performance Grid 2.0. I use the smaller and stiffer Grid X for my back. The cheaper soft foam rollers do nothing for me. I haven\'t yet taken out the resistance band for the lateral exercises. If these sets of exercises don\'t get rid of all my knee pain, I will hit up my PCP up for a referral to the ortho in October.

 

[Eyeeyecaptain]

Thanks again for all the advice guys. I am going to try the rollers, bands, pills and all that good stuff this season and hopefully not ruin my knees even more. Will keep you posted on how that goes. I will take Lou\'s advice and go to the ortho too, put that off long enough I think...

 

[mtnmutt]

I had a deep tissue massage tonight. My knee pain is gone.

My masseuse gave me the run down on muscles in relation to where I have knee pain.
Front knee pain: quadriceps
Outside knee pain: IT Band.

I have front knee pain. I have failed to adequately stretch my quads. I did use the roller on my quads which helped some. Because of plantar fasciitis (foot pain), I have been spending a lot of time stretching my calfs and neglecting my quads. My hamstrings are also stretched well.

I have an injury in my left knee. I have had it for 25 years. The issues from the left knee injury are mitigated by keeping my leg muscles strong to stabilize the knee.

 

[WW]

I went back to my ortho about a week ago. He stretched my leg out and tapped on my knee cap. It sounded like someone shooting a Daisy BB gun because of all the fluid build up in there. But he said the good news is that it will get better every month. I\'m sitting there thinking to myself, \"Every month hell! Hunting season will be over in a month\"!

Please don\'t make fun of me if you see my ATV parked somewhere with a handicap parking tag hanging off the handle bar. I sure wish I would have gotten this new knee 4-5 months sooner! Looks like hunting is out of the picture for this year. But I still hope maybe I can go the last week or so of the season. The urge to hunt is still there. Unfortunatley the old body isn\'t!

 

[cohunter14]

I went back to my ortho about a week ago. He stretched my leg out and tapped on my knee cap. It sounded like someone shooting a Daisy BB gun because of all the fluid build up in there. But he said the good news is that it will get better every month. I\'m sitting there thinking to myself, \"Every month hell! Hunting season will be over in a month\"!

Please don\'t make fun of me if you see my ATV parked somewhere with a handicap parking tag hanging off the handle bar. I sure wish I would have gotten this new knee 4-5 months sooner! Looks like hunting is out of the picture for this year. But I still hope maybe I can go the last week or so of the season. The urge to hunt is still there. Unfortunatley the old body isn\'t!

Sorry to hear that Bill. But that doesn\'t mean you can\'t still get out there! Find a few good looking spots that are just off a road or ATV trail. Who knows, maybe you\'ll get lucky? I would much rather get out in the woods than sit at home. Even if it is only to get a few yards off a main trail :upthumb:

 

[elky McElkerson]

Oh no WW!!!

I wish I was closer. I would be your \"mule\".


Sent via Jedi mind trick.