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

[Miles Killian]

I get hyaluronic acid every 6 months and cortisone (80mg Depo Medrol) in the intervening 3 months, so each every 6 months. I don't really think I feel a difference from either injection but then again I'm not bad enough that I limp. The hyaluronic acid is more to nourish the joint to help it last longer.

 

[DylanWalsh]

Thanks for the reports guys, passing along to my 70 y/o Dad that I need to keep in hunting camp!

 

[Lorne778]

Knees over toes guy on Instagram has some great info

 

[Len Backus]

Knees over toes guy on Instagram has some great info

I have watched him!

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

I am late to this thread. There is a lot of good information here.

IMO if you are really serious about taking care of knees and joints you have to get serious about eliminating refined sugar from your diet. It is horribly difficult to do but sugar is the equivalent of throwing gasoline on fire. If you have any inflammation (which some is normal) sugar will send it into overdrive (which is not normal).

Look for the article in the WSJ about Tom Brady's longevity. Also look for the articles about athlete contracts that prohibit sugar intake during any injury rehab.

I am not a health nut and I am not skinny and fit. I am right where I should be. I don't diet other than I try to eliminate all sugar, except during the holidays. It has changed my life. I have zero knee or back pain and zero allergies when am off sugar.

My wife is zero sugar year around. Eliminating sugar has had so many positive benefits (no more hip pain from 3 child births, no more headaches, lessened menstrual cramps, shortness of breath etc), she refuses to go back.

Hope this helps.

 

[Len Backus]

No sugar or no added sugar?

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

No sugar or no added sugar?

No refined sugar

 

[manitou]

I get hyaluronic acid every 6 months and cortisone (80mg Depo Medrol) in the intervening 3 months, so each every 6 months. I don't really think I feel a difference from either injection but then again I'm not bad enough that I limp. The hyaluronic acid is more to nourish the joint to help it last longer.

I got those in my rt knee a few days ago. Feels amazing now!

 

[Len Backus]

No refined sugar

I just started that a few weeks ago.

 

[Kiowa Cowboy]

No refined sugar

I just started that a few weeks ago.

Around the 60 day mark the results become undeniable. You won't regret it. I am amazed at the withdrawals that I have when i quit it. Until you eliminate from your diet you don't realize how addictive it is. A Dr. freind has been tellling to stop the sugar for 10 years now. I finally listened about 2 years ago. It is a game changer. Best of luck!

BTW I really enjoy reading your posts. I have done the GC rim to rim. The glacier park hike that you did is on my list.

 

[ARlife4me]

We are up to 222 posts in this fourteen year old thread topic from 2008:.

"I had my right knee scoped 14 months ago in early 2007, doing well. But last fall in Montana I couldn't walk as far or fast as I used to. Both 62 year old knees have significant arthritis.

What is an exercise that would reduce arthritic discomfort associated with extended hiking up and down.
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I'd just like to make a comment on what has worked for me since the above discussion began back in 2008. And remember that I am allergic to all inflammation reducing NSAIDS...aspirin, Aleve, Ibuprofin, etc.

My knees will be 77 years old in four months. Last week I COMFORTABLY completed a solo five day, 57 mile, 12,000 vertical foot both gain and loss backpack trip in the Glacier National Park mountains. I will write about this one next month some time. Photo below.

Earlier this year I did 3 backpack trips to the Grand Canyon including a 44 mile Rim to Rim to Rim, 2 trips to the Tetons and I still have scheduled another short trip to the Tetons plus a fourth, year-2022 gruelling, hard-on-the-knees, backpack trip in the Grand Canyon in early November.

My knees worked well.

In addition to a year round conditioning program consisting of local bike rides and hill climbing on foot, I have been consistently doing a series of stretches.

I don't know the full names of these common stretches but will call them:

Squats
Touch your toes
Achilles stretch

I do these almost every day at home. They are VERY important to my knees.

On a backpack trip I do them ten times in a ten hour hiking day...especially when I feel a little twinge beginning somewhere in a knee joint.

I have also decreased my hiking tempo, and decreased the length of my stride. I also take more 5 minute breaks. I also start the hike segments at 3/4 normal tempo as a means of warming up.

I always use trekking poles.

So...a combination of stretching and strength conditioning.
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From day 3 in Glacier Park 2 weeks ago.


View attachment 397297

I can't stress enough about doing toe and heel rises. Doesn't seem like it does much, but it does. Not just a small amount of rises on a flat floor, but deep rises on an elevated surface such as a crosstie, 4x4, bottom stair (for safety). Make sure it's stable! You can incorporate knee bends into it also and you can never do enough! Skies the limit, if there's 1!

 

[Len Backus]

I can't stress enough about doing toe and heel rises. Doesn't seem like it does much, but it does. Not just a small amount of rises on a flat floor, but deep rises on an elevated surface such as a crosstie, 4x4, bottom stair (for safety). Make sure it's stable! You can incorporate knee bends into it also and you can never do enough! Skies the limit, if there's 1!

I will try that.

 

[Len Backus]

Around the 60 day mark the results become undeniable. You won't regret it. I am amazed at the withdrawals that I have when i quit it. Until you eliminate from your diet you don't realize how addictive it is. A Dr. freind has been tellling to stop the sugar for 10 years now. I finally listened about 2 years ago. It is a game changer. Best of luck!

BTW I really enjoy reading your posts. I have done the GC rim to rim. The glacier park hike that you did is on my list.

I am already less hungry.

Tomorrow is my 79th birthday...and the beginning of my 80th year on earth.

I plan to celebrate this milestone year by doing five western mountain and Grand Canyon backpack trips. If my joints continue as well as in recent years.

Three of the five trips will be solo and two with family...one of the two family trips also with my new dog. More about him later.

Next month I do the GC's Tanner Trail solo, exiting up to the Grandview trailhead.

 

[ARlife4me]

I will try that.

as long as you can do them, do a lot of them over the entire day. helps from having shin splints in the most part. i've taught girls who mainly have this issue when you that do sports (especially cross country and distance track). the coaches dismiss me as "not knowing anything" from my oldest being in track. he has issues being a distance runner similar to carpal tunnel, but it was about legs. running the same direction for 3-5 miles a day in a circle i told him to counter it by running the opposite for warm ups and cool downs. it took a week, but had no more issues after that. the coaches were nearly laughing at him (and probably me), but the next year the coaches had all distance runners doing what my son was doing.

you can also sit in a chair (also backless) chair) and do extensions. draw your knees up to as close to your chest as possible and extend horizontal and repeat. you can also do a cycling manner while leaning back (in a 45* or so).