[pct-l] Knee problems

[The Incredible Bulk]

I had a similar knee problem.

In 2005, went to lunch room, with a little left knee pain.  Thirty minutes later, I could not get up to walk back to my desk.  MRI said torn meniscus.  Had arthroscopic (sp) surgery.  Dr said I also had some arthritis.  I have since healed and do not need to hike with a brace, and I have no pain when hiking with a 35 lb pack for a 15 mile day in the Sierra.  

I suppose I should be thankful, and I truly am thankful.  Now, I was also 140 lbs overweight.  Which I am sure contributed to the problem.  That and hitting golf balls 1 day before the knee gave me trouble in the lunch room.  I hadn't hit golf balls in 10 years.  The twisting motion plus the weight is probably what tore the meniscus.  

I have since lost 60+ lbs in 6 months, and have 50 more to go.  Oh, and since backpacking is so important to me, I gave up hitting golf balls.  I can do hikes now I could not have even imagined of doing at the beginning of this year.  Being a realist, I know I can't get back to my fitness of 30+ years ago, when I was doing 5' 20" miles.  But I know I can approach this level of fitness.  Can't wait to see what happens after I loose the next 50 lbs.  Can I say  t h r u  h i k e !!!  You bet I can!

Tom
The Incredible (shrinking) Bulk
 


---- Marion Davison <mardav at charter.net> wrote: 

=============
I had similar issues this year.  On my first trail work weekend I was in 
a full kneeling position for a long time (feet back, legs bent, butt 
resting on feet).  When I tried to get up and move I didn't push off 
with my hands, and I got a horrendous stabbing pain in one knee.  I had 
to limp on it, 18 miles, to where my car was parked.  I rested it for a 
few weeks, went hiking again, found it painful to walk uphill or 
downhill.  But oh well, fiddle dee dee, it will get better tomorrow. I 
got a Cho-Pat knee brace and kept on hiking.   I did a few more weekend 
hikes, starting out okay, limping and cursing by the end.  In June a 
hike made my knee swell up hugely so I finally went to the doctor.  An 
MRI showed a slightly torn meniscus, an attenuated (thinning) ACL, and a 
lot of arthritis under the patella.  They told me that I am too old for 
surgery (at 52) and the doctor prescribed a custom ACL brace that cost 
over $2000.  I finally got the brace in July and did a 50 mile week-long 
Sierra trip with no issues.  I wear it to hike, walk or work out at the 
gym.  Chiropractic therapy got the swelling down and strengthening 
exercises got my knee to "track" better.
But I have to wear the brace for any exercise, permanently.  If I don't, 
I will have pain and the ACL will probably rupture somewhere in the 
backcountry.
Now my insurance company is refusing to pay for the brace so I am stuck 
with the bill.
Aging and modern medicine.  Oh well.  At least I can hike again, pain free.
Marion
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