Walkhighlands

I'm just looking for the input of anyone else who's been in the same boat...

I have a niggling problem with my knees, primarily my right, but now the left being slightly affected. Basically I can walk for a long distance on flat ground with no problem, but on ascents I get a very slight pain under the kneecaps, which seems to cause the area above the left and right sides of the kneecap to swell up badly, in turn making descents a living hell, to the extent that even easy rocky steps are awful.

Its been x-rayed with no bone damage showing, I was referred to physio, who after 5 sessions has no idea what's going on. I'm going back to the GP next week in an attempt to get it scanned for soft tissue damage. As I said at the start it's much more obvious on the right knee, but the left is now giving me bother.

I did Ben Starav yesterday, after a few weeks off the hills and it's as bad now as it's ever been.

Anyone else had similar issues and what happened?

Mention Anterior Knee pain to you GP (and see where this leads), I'm not a medical pro. but this is what it sounds like to a fellow sufferer!

Previous experience with this has been that exercises to strengthen the muscles around your kneecap help a lot with this, as often that is all it is, not an injury as such but that hillwalking takes it's toll.

The first time this occurred, sports injuries were something the NHS did not know existed ( > 15 years ago) & I had to do my own research on it!

Gythral wrote:Mention Anterior Knee pain to you GP (and see where this leads), I'm not a medical pro. but this is what it sounds like to a fellow sufferer!

Previous experience with this has been that exercises to strengthen the muscles around your kneecap help a lot with this, as often that is all it is, not an injury as such but that hillwalking takes it's toll.

The first time this occurred, sports injuries were something the NHS did not know existed ( > 15 years ago) & I had to do my own research on it!

Thanks, that's useful to know

I should also be concerned that i managed to mis-spell "Knee"

I was suffering from bad knees from walking on the flat and on the hills. I always put it down to my weight and in a way it was.
I got my feet properly measured in Craigdon Sports in Inverness and the guy dealing with me told me my arches were being flattened when my weight was on my feet. This was causing my knees to fall inwards towards each other causing the pain.

He recommended getting insoles to go inside my walking boots rather than using the factory standard as they don't offer any arch support at all. I use these insoles in all my shoes including work and casual shoes. They have made a massive difference.

I'm not saying this is what you have but it's another thing to look at maybe.

Having had the same problems to some degree for 30yrs I highly recommend walking a bit slower; using 2 poles; & getting really good insoles in all your footwear. V. slowly my knees have improved & whilst I always get some pain it is now not a problem I need worry about. I always continued to walk with the pain as it did help by making stronger muscles. Rest is a killer, just use your own judgment but do not be a softy & give up but never run, take your time. My R. knee was operated on 10yrs ago & has remained more painful than my L. which was not operated on. I think surgery was a mistake in the long run. Since the problems started I have made about 600 hill ascents so do not despair, it will improve with care. A sports injury clinic is the best place to go for advice as they understand the needs of sporty people & will approach your approach the problem from a different angle. My GP told me thats what he would do! There is a good book called KNNE HEALTH which you may find useful, although I found the exercises too hard.
good luck.

I've had problems on and off for a few years, mostly related to periods of intense hiking or cycling when my haphazard stretching regime obviously doesn't keep up with the amount I'm exercising!

My problem is due to poor knee tracking and strength which results in the IT band getting aggravated as it is being asked to work in directions it is not intended to. As a result, on the climbs the IT band gets stressed and aggravated, and when the tension is removed (on the descents) it starts to hurt. The pain is located in the same area as yours, although also at the sides and behind the knee.

I have managed to alleviate this to some degree by doing all the usual runners exercises and stretches including foam rolling the top and outside of my calves and outside of my quads, stretching quads, calves, hips etc. but also by adapting my pace, I try to maintain a quicker pace but smaller steps on the uphills (almost like shifting into an easier gear on the bike but increasing your cadence). This means less stress on the knees as I'm not taking such big steps.

I also use poles on the ascents, especially on multi-day trips with a big bag.

Again, for the multi-day trips I try to pre-empt problems by taking a regular course of Ibuprofen throughout.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned your IT band, either here or at your physio, but perhaps there is something I've missed, after all, I am not a doctor etc etc

Welcome to my world of knee pain sounds exactly what I endure all the time descents are a nightmare.physio gave me a list of stretching and bending excersises to strength the area round the knee.On another note you said you were on Starav on Saturday I also climbed Starav & GBM on Sat so must have saw you at some point

gammy leg walker wrote:Welcome to my world of knee pain sounds exactly what I endure all the time descents are a nightmare.physio gave me a list of stretching and bending excersises to strength the area round the knee.On another note you said you were on Starav on Saturday I also climbed Starav & GBM on Sat so must have saw you at some point

Got another physio appointment tomorrow, at which point he'll probably look in horror at the shape of my knee and tell me to speak to the GP and get an MRI scan on it. Getting old is a ******d!

We saw quite a few folk on the hill, a big group about halfway up and a couple of guys immediately below the summit when it was p***ing it down with rain.

Husband has bad knee problems. G.P. says that his knee is basically bone on bone now. He wears a really tough knee support and rubs in ibuprofen gel (is not allowed it by mouth). This has enabled him to carry on, but he is VERY slow downhill now. He puts it down to carrying on playing 5 a side football into his 50s on a hard surface, and outside football to the same age, at which he could no longer sprint out of trouble, and was felled by some really bad tackles. He would like to do the same to various defenders in the public eye who made playing the man, not the ball seem almost acceptable.

Just to point out that there have been a couple of threads on this over the past few years, that you might find worth looking up.

In my case the problem turned out to be related to a band of supporting tissue that stretches from somewhere above the waist to well below the knee (I've forgotten what it's called, but I think I named it in an earlier thread). And even my sports doctor brother couldn't diagnose it.

I've had no problems since then, and it was sorted with a few stretch exercises. Amazing to me, because it was shockingly painful for a few weeks.

somewhere above the waist to well below the knee (I've forgotten what it's called

Sounds awfully like the iliotibial band, my knee problems occur in direct correlation to how little I do my IT band stretches/exercises

I have to confess I have never really had problems with my knees, one thing I do find is that after the drive home which is normally more than a couple of hours - the sitting in the car really seems to stiffen up the joints.

After yesterdays trip to the Gorms my right knee is really causing me concern, I seem to have some sorting of clicking motion going on & although the joint is not sore to touch, the problem seems to be at the rear of the knee.
Am hoping a few days rest will sort it, otherwise my walking weekend is going to be a real struggle.
Fingers crossed

jupe1407 wrote:

gammy leg walker wrote:Welcome to my world of knee pain sounds exactly what I endure all the time descents are a nightmare.physio gave me a list of stretching and bending excersises to strength the area round the knee.On another note you said you were on Starav on Saturday I also climbed Starav & GBM on Sat so must have saw you at some point

We saw quite a few folk on the hill, a big group about halfway up and a couple of guys immediately below the summit when it was p***ing it down with rain.

Think we spoke briefly big group were in front of myself and my mate I had a blue jacket on mate had a red jacket you must remember us we were the pair blowing bubbles out our a###s

gammy leg walker wrote:Think we spoke briefly big group were in front of myself and my mate I had a blue jacket on mate had a red jacket you must remember us we were the pair blowing bubbles out our a###s

Aye we did. I think we were all blowing out of our proverbials

It's a somewhat relentless ascent!

Straight leg raises to build up your muscles on either side of the knee may help. 1k dumbbell tied to your shoe sitting on a chair. Good Luck.