How I prepare my knees for 8 western mountain backpacking trips per year...at age 77

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

The best way to take care of your knees is to have a lightweight frame for them to carry. Keep your weight under for your height ratio.
Weight wears your knees out more than anything!

 

[cvixx]

Months late here..I had my left knee replaced in mid-February. Still aches, but I purchased an elastic knee sleeve off of E-bay for $12 or so. Works like a champ for me. Aching is a lot less. 78 now and am planning to hike rim to river in the Grand Canyon in October, if I can get a permit.

Attached pic shows the new one in green. I also have some of the fancy ones the physical therapists soak your insurance for, but my green one works better.

 

[Muddyboots]

The best way to take care of your knees is to have a lightweight frame for them to carry. Keep your weight under for your height ratio.
Weight wears your knees out more than anything!

So I need to be 8" taller?

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

So I need to be 8" taller?

or 70 lbs lighter

 

[Muddyboots]

Or smaller boots?

 

[Muddyboots]

In all seriousness, since PT is progressing, right knee cap area bothersome. About 15 years ago, had head on, right knee cap slammed into dashboard of truck. (Another idiot driver thought my lane was hers to use) Damaged the "track" under cap. Once in while bothered me but now is really letting me know hey remember me? Using Volteran which helps, tried out knee brace with knee cap support. Anyone else have this kind of issue? Solutions? I backed off my workouts for a week but still nagging pain. The brace interferes with leg retraction on leg presses so trying to find something less obtrusive.

 

[PBramble]

In all seriousness, since PT is progressing, right knee cap area bothersome. About 15 years ago, had head on, right knee cap slammed into dashboard of truck. (Another idiot driver thought my lane was hers to use) Damaged the "track" under cap. Once in while bothered me but now is really letting me know hey remember me? Using Volteran which helps, tried out knee brace with knee cap support. Anyone else have this kind of issue? Solutions? I backed off my workouts for a week but still nagging pain. The brace interferes with leg retraction on leg presses so trying to find something less obtrusive.

Rocktape. There are several techniques to use to take the pressure off the end of the quad and patellar tendon.

rocktape knee taping - Google Search

 

[tlshootst]

Great thread. I'm 55 now. Been blessed with being able to do a lot of physical activities without working out much. When I got to around 45 I could tell I needed to do more to stay in shape. Been fighting rotator cuff and knee issues. Fixed them both the last 10 years just trying various workout routines, paying very close attention to any pain and adjusting my workouts. Discovered knees over toes guy this winter. using some of his exercises. Not wearing a knee brace at the moment so I've been making progress. My goal now is to do what Len is doing at his age. Very inspiring!

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Months late here..I had my left knee replaced in mid-February. Still aches, but I purchased an elastic knee sleeve off of E-bay for $12 or so. Works like a champ for me. Aching is a lot less. 78 now and am planning to hike rim to river in the Grand Canyon in October, if I can get a permit.

You need a permit to hike the Canyon ?

 

[FLFPRC]

I am late in Reading This Thread. It is currently 2023 and I have been receiving a gel shots in each of my knees for bone on bone condition. I was a long distance Runner most of my life Plus spent a bit of time with the 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping and landing on your knees as well as running will pretty much wear at all your cartilage. As an avid hunter, my recipe for the success has certainly been to use ibuprofen prior to activity and two try to maintain the strength in the supporting muscles around the knee. I ride a bicycle for low impact activity and use a rowing machine for 2 hours per day. The exercise does help alleviate the sum of the discomfort one experiences when walking on the rocky Terrain. No doubt about it, conditions are such as ours will limit the miles you can walk or climb in the wilderness. I certainly do not have the speed nor the high mileage I used to put down when I was tracking whitetail deer. However, we all need to do whatever we can to maintain our physical abilities and Keith and the woods. PS of course hauling 200 lb plus animals any a great distance definitely pulls on the legs. Sometimes I use the sled used for iced fishing with 200 lb sandbags two maintain some ability to pull a dead animal. Fortuna favorite portobuzz

 

[FLFPRC]

I am late in Reading This Thread. It is currently 2023 and I have been receiving a gel shots in each of my knees for bone on bone condition. I was a long distance Runner most of my life Plus spent a bit of time with the 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping and landing on your knees as well as running will pretty much wear at all your cartilage. As an avid hunter, my recipe for the success has certainly been to use ibuprofen prior to activity and two try to maintain the strength in the supporting muscles around the knee. I ride a bicycle for low impact activity and use a rowing machine for 2 hours per day. The exercise does help alleviate the sum of the discomfort one experiences when walking on the rocky Terrain. No doubt about it, conditions are such as ours will limit the miles you can walk or climb in the wilderness. I certainly do not have the speed nor the high mileage I used to put down when I was tracking whitetail deer. However, we all need to do whatever we can to maintain our physical abilities and Keith and the woods. PS of course hauling 200 lb plus animals any a great distance definitely pulls on the legs. Sometimes I use the sled used for iced fishing with 200 lb sandbags two maintain some ability to pull a dead animal. Fortuna favorite portobuzz

By the way I cannot always expect the words that I speak to accurately reach the paper. My apologies I sign off with the term Fortuna Favet Fortibus.This a carryover from Vietnam.

 

[HLecea]

or 70 lbs lighter

Lighter.

 

[cvixx]

So I need to be 8" taller?

Well, I am 6'6"" and it has worked for me…right knee has 5 replacements, just had the first on the left. At 78, wonder how many more!!!

 

[Len Backus]

I am late in Reading This Thread. It is currently 2023 and I have been receiving a gel shots in each of my knees for bone on bone condition. I was a long distance Runner most of my life Plus spent a bit of time with the 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping and landing on your knees as well as running will pretty much wear at all your cartilage. As an avid hunter, my recipe for the success has certainly been to use ibuprofen prior to activity and two try to maintain the strength in the supporting muscles around the knee. I ride a bicycle for low impact activity and use a rowing machine for 2 hours per day. The exercise does help alleviate the sum of the discomfort one experiences when walking on the rocky Terrain. No doubt about it, conditions are such as ours will limit the miles you can walk or climb in the wilderness. I certainly do not have the speed nor the high mileage I used to put down when I was tracking whitetail deer. However, we all need to do whatever we can to maintain our physical abilities and Keith and the woods. PS of course hauling 200 lb plus animals any a great distance definitely pulls on the legs. Sometimes I use the sled used for iced fishing with 200 lb sandbags two maintain some ability to pull a dead animal. Fortuna favorite portobuzz

Thanks